Before Ethie and Sybie - Esmerelda's First Years
by Hallow Sisters On My Mind
Summary: Ever wondered about Esmerelda's first and second year? Well now you can read about them. How does the girl cope with being by herself for the first time? Read To Find out. Worst Witch 2017 Series.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: A new story. Much lighter than my other stories but I hope you all still like. I always wondered about Esmerelda's first two years at Cackles without her sisters so I decided to write about this. Thank you to the stargate time traveler for the name of this story! I don't own the Worst Witch or the characters.

* * *

 _ **Before Ethie and Sybie - Esmerelda's First Years**_

* * *

Chapter One

The small blonde girl walked through the gates quickly before anyone had a chance to interact with her. It was the first day of a new term and the first day at the new school she was attending. She had her blonde hair draped over her shoulder in a simple plait and was as clean as a whistle in her new school uniform.

"First years this way!" the girl heard an older teacher dressed in bottle green robes say, she couldn't quite remember her name from her selection day at the beginning of the summer but the blonde made her way to join the queue with her other classmates, sniffling as she did so. When everyone had arrived the gate was closed and the headmistress, Miss Cackle, started talking.

"Welcome back to our old students, and welcome to our new, I know you will have an amazing time here at Cackles Academy" Miss Cackle said as she beamed at her students.

"Although please note we will not accept childish silly behaviour or games, you are here to learn and we except you all to take your studies seriously" Miss Hardbroom went on causing some of the first years at the front to recoil in horror at her tone.

"Yes thank you Miss Hardbroom" Ada said giving her a look "Well without furthur ado let us get settled, first years follow the prefects please" Ada said and the girls followed some looking beyond excited and some, just nervous.

* * *

The first thing the girls had to do was collect their sash and find out what house they would be in, when the blonde girl got to the front she gave the dark haired prefect her name nervously.

"Esmerelda Hallow" the young girl said her eyes red and blotchy and she kept sniffing as if she had an allergy to something.

The prefect gave her a pair of purple stockings and a purple sash that had gold trim around it.

"Do you know what that means?" the prefect said "You are head of year, well done" she said to the young blonde.

Some of the other students looked confused, she was after all looking like on the verge of tears so they didn't understand how someone so timid had gotten the title of head of year.

"You Esmerelda Hallow are the highest scoring student we have ever had in an entrance exam, I expect great things from you" HB said appearing from nowhere and making some of the students jump. Her look changed though when she saw the girls face.

"Are you ill girl?" HB asked as she did not look good in that moment

"I have allergies" Esmerelda lied not wanting to tell her the real reason she was appearing to have a cold. Hardbroom nodded and walked off seeming to accept it.

* * *

Next the girls were shown their bedrooms by a prefect. Esmerelda walked into the small room and looked around. A bed, desk, chest of drawers and that was about it. She shivered, already feeling the cold from being in the castle.

"You get used to being cold don't worry, I will leave you to settle in" the prefect said closing the door and leaving the youngster to settle.

Esmerelda put her trunk on the bed and opened it to start unpacking her things. She hanged up her other spare uniforms and put her books on her desk. She sighed, she hated unpacking and she heard the sound of silence in her room, to quiet. She wasn't used to such silence and it scared her.

Knowing she had to be in full uniform by the next time she was seen by teachers she tied her new sash around her waist and put the purple socks on, well at least her family will be happy she was in the purple house, it was special to her family as it went back generations them all being in the purple house, she didn't really know why it was so important though. They would also be thrilled she was head of year although she wished she wasn't if she could go home.

Lastly she unpacked her special possessions. A notebook and a photo frame. It was a pine coloured frame and inside held a picture of the young girl with two younger blonde girls, Ethel and Sybil, her little sisters. She stroked it gently and then put it on her beside table before sitting on her bed sadly.

Esmerelda had lied when she said she had allergies, the truth was she had been crying most of the morning and was still chocked up. It sounded odd but it was the first time she would be away from Ethel and Sybil for more than a few hours, their parents being strict and not allowing many activities outside the home meant the girls had never really being away from one another before, not for more than a few hours at most and Esmerelda was struggling with being away from them already.

Sybil had started crying as she said goodbye to Esmerelda that morning, always the sister to show her emotions more than the other two did who tried to hold it in. Ethel had not cried in front of her exactly but after she had hugged her for a while and saw her about to leave, Ethel said she needed the bathroom and then ran off and Esmerelda had heard her crying on the landing, which didn't make it much easier. Esmerelda had held her tears in until she was flying, she had been crying so much she almost crashed but managed to keep herself upright.

Why oh why did Cackles have to be a boarding school? She could have dealt with a day school but that wasn't an option here, never would she consider asking her parents to send her elsewhere, this was the only school the Hallow family had ever attended, it would not be considered right to send her elsewhere. So now she had to try cope without her sisters.

She wiped her eyes feeling them become teary again before she jumped as she heard someone knock. Another girl who looked new and way to excited for the fact she had just left home popped her head in.

"It is time to get our cats" the girl said and Esmie smiled slightly, looking forward to her new kitty despite her home sickness. She left the room and went to wait with everyone else for the teachers to call them in.

* * *

"Esmerelda Hallow" Miss Hardbroom said calling her first, the young blonde walked up to the door and went in seeing Miss Cackle stroking the many black kitties in there.

"Pick whichever one you want dear" Miss Cackle told her and Esmerelda looked around wondering how she would decide, they all looked really cute with adorable little faces but the smallest one caught her eye as she was so tiny.

"Can I have this one?" Esmerelda asked as she picked up the kitten to see if she liked her and if they connected, the cat snuggled into her and purred making her decision easy.

"A fine choice dear, although she is a little smaller than the others, do you have a name chosen yet?" Miss Cackle asked stroking the kitten on the head.

"Morgana, and that is okay, I like her because she is so small" Esmerelda told her smiling at her kitten.

"Morgana is a fine name for a witches cat!" Miss Cackle told her and Esmie smiled pleased she agreed before she sniffed again and Miss Hardbroom interrupted.

"For goodness sake child, if your allergies are still so bad you should go to the nurse" she told her as Esmerelda still had red eyes and was sniffling.

"I am fine miss honest…..Miss Cackle?" Esmerelda said needing to ask this question because it was killing her not knowing.

"What is it dear?" Miss Cackle asked her

"I was wondering when we will be allowed to mirror home" Esmerelda asked not entirely sure how often it was allowed.

"Thursday evenings" Miss Hardbroom told her looking at her suspiciously.

Esmerelda thought quickly. It was Monday, four days until she got to speak to her sisters. Miss Cackle seemed to see she looked upset by that.

"Are you feeling homesick dear? That is a natural feeling at first" Miss Cackle told her knowing first years, and even older students, always suffered with home sickness at the start of the new term, all kids were different, some settled from the second they entered, some took weeks or even months.

"Well.. I suppose I might be...I have never being away from my sisters before" Esmerelda admitted sadly as she missed them so much her chest hurt. Hecate gave her a funny look, not understanding this sibling bonds as she didn't have one. Ada though was sympathetic.

"I know it is hard to be away from them and go off to school, my sister and I were sent to different schools so I do understand dear, but it will get easier I promise" Ada told her touching her arm

"Why were you and your sister sent to different schools?" Esmerelda asked confused as to way siblings would be separated. Ada clammed up then at that question and Hecate turned angry.

"That is none of your business, now go and train your new cat!" HB told her and Esmerelda knew she had hit a nerve and nodded. She quickly left the room not wanting to get into anymore trouble but she knew Miss Cackle was wrong. She would never get used to being away from her sisters. She cuddled her new bundle of fluff and sadly walked back to her bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Esmie might be slightly out of character in this story but you have to remember she was a lot younger. I imagine her taking a long time to settle without her sisters and unable to hide her feelings as easily as now.

* * *

Chapter Two

Esmie woke up feeling her eyes felt heavy, she had not had the best sleep but there was nothing she could do right now, lessons were starting today and checking her timetable she saw she had potions first, somehow she didn't think Hardbroom would be happy if she was late, even if it was her first day.

She therefore got up and washed and dressed in her new uniform before doing her hair, packing her potions books in her bag and leaving her bedroom after stroking her kitten and making sure she had food and milk. First she went to breakfast and felt her stomach turn as what she was served but forced it down feeling sick with each bite, when she had finished her cement she checked the time and saw she still had eight minutes to get to the lab so walked calmly to her lesson.

* * *

Arriving she saw other girls already stood there, all looking tired as they were not used to these early mornings at Cackles. She went to the back to wait for Miss Hardbroom to arrive and the woman appeared in front of hem at nine on the dot. She told the girls to go into the classroom and take a seat.

Esmerelda took a seat in the middle row as she listened to her teacher and what potion they would be making. Today would be one of the most simple potions, a simple cure for boils potion. They were told what page to turn to and then HB told them she wanted them to attempt it to see where they were in the subject and at what stage they were at.

Esmerelda read each instruction twice to make sure she didn't misread it and then started to add ingredients to her potion. Looking around though she saw she was the only one who seemed to not be butchering it.

Some girls read their books with wide eyes confused at the instructions or why their potion didn't look how it was in the book. Some looks scared or nervous, and within ten minutes two potions exploded. No-one seemed to be successful in the potion they were making.

Esmerelda though tried not to focus on the others and followed her instructions carefully, the potion was meant to be a muddy green colour by the end and as she mixed it she saw it was indeed this colour and sighed with relief. At least HB couldn't give her detention for it being the wrong colour.

"Time is up girls" Miss Hardbroom said after forty minutes. Some of the girls looked ready to burst into tears as their potions were not finished or plain wrong. The woman started to walk around the classroom to test the potions.

"This is one of the worst attempts I have ever seen, did you even read the instructions?" Miss Hardbroom asked a girl by Esmie's right who nodded and gulped as she was given detention. Soon the woman was at Esmerelda who shook from nerves.

Miss Hardbroom looked at the potion and then looked surprised, it was clearly not usual for the first lesson to ever be a success for anyone. She placed the frog on the desk that she was using to test the potion, placed a little on the wart on the frog and watched as it vanished completely.

"Girls, Miss Hallow has made the potion perfectly, the rest of you should follow her example" she told the class as the bell went and Esmerelda gathered her books to leave the classroom hearing people mutter as she did so.

"Talk about showing off" she heard a dark haired girl say to another as they left the classroom. Esmerelda sighed, clearly her correct potion had not gone down well. It was just making her look big headed.

Looking around she noticed nearly all the girls were already in groups, how they had made friends already was beyond her because she had not even had the chance to speak to anyone yet, she cleared this thought from her head as she walked to her Chanting class.

* * *

"Right girls I am going to put you in groups" Miss Bat said as Esmie was put with two other first years who were linking arms, clearly already best friends.

"I'm Esmerelda" the blonde said smiling politely as she introduced herself, hoping maybe she could make some friends soon too.

"Great, I am Wendy Woodstone, she is Millicent Craftwood" Wendy said as she introduced the others and Esmerelda thought they seemed nice, at least nicer than the two who were speaking about her after potions.

"Soooo" Esmerelda said not knowing exactly what to say "Have you got any siblings?" Esmerelda asked trying to make conversation.

"I am an only child" Millicent said in response

"Unfortunately I have an annoying little brother" Wendy answered before laughing but Esmerelda was shocked she was insulting her sibling. Siblings were precious how could she not be head over heels in love with her sibling?

"What about you?" Wendy asked and Esmie smiled at the opportunity to talk about her sisters.

"I have two little sisters, Ethel is nine and Sybil is eight, I miss them a lot and it is a long time until we get to mirror each other, they are the best and cutest" Esmerelda replied and the two girls she was sat with looked at her strangely.

"What?" Esmerelda said wondering what she had done

"You are weird" Wendy said looking at her funny as the girl went on about her sisters. Esmerelda's smiled dropped and she kept quiet for the rest of the lesson.

* * *

The rest of her day didn't go any better with her classmates. She had PE after chanting and went to get changed in her room, feeling teary again as she missed Ethel and Sybil and talking about them had brought back them feelings. She wiped her teary eyes as she got changed into her PE kit and then went outside for her lesson.

The girl was still upset as her lesson started and because of this she kept missing the ball when it was thrown to her and sniffled as it flew past her.

"Aww what is the matter? Realised you can't do something and now need to cry about it?" a girl across from Esmerelda said. She looked at the girl sadly as she sniffled more and realised she was the one who had insulted her after their potions lesson earlier that morning.

"Miss Hallow has made the potion perfectly" the girl next to the first girl to have spoken said in a high pitched voice before laughing.

"Girls stop talking and carry on playing the game" Miss Drill told them as she walked over to see what was going on. Esmerelda felt herself pining in her chest for her sisters, she had now being away from them longer than she ever had before and with that tears fell down her face as it really hit her she was away from them. She had been trying to keep her tears in but it was so hard for the girl who lived and breathed her sisters every moment of every day and now couldn't do that. Miss Drill saw this and looked at her.

"What is going on what is the matter?" she asked the young girl who cried softly to herself. One of the two girls who had just picked on her answered.

"She missed the ball, it must be hard when you realise you are not perfect at something" she said before laughing. Miss Drill was not happy.

"Enough! I didn't ask for your input, come with me" Miss Drill said leading Esmerelda away as she started to cry more.

"Esmerelda isn't it?" she asked having heard about her and she nodded as she wiped her tears.

"Is someone being mean to you? Is that why you are upset?" Miss Drill said and the girl shook her head.

"I am sorry Miss...I just miss Ethel and Sybil" she told the woman as she let out a sob

"Who are Ethel and Sybil?" the woman asked not understanding.

"My little sisters, I have never been away from them for more than a few hours and I miss them so much" she told the woman who sighed.

"I see, you are homesick, it is always hard starting somewhere new but you will adjust" Miss Drill told the girl, having seen this before.

"I want to see my sisters" Esmerelda said crying more and Miss Drill touched her back knowing she couldn't do much to help her. Homesickness had no cure, not until someone learned to cope more with being away from home. Many first years suffered with it, Esmerelda was not the first and would not be the last.

"Why don't you go inside and get a drink of water and dry your eyes? I will let you off this once" Miss Drill said feeling sorry for the girl who nodded a thank you and then walked into the castle still crying.

She knew this would not be the first, or last, time this happened. She couldn't cope without her sisters, she didn't know how to do it and as she got a drink of water from the fountain she dabbed at her tears but more fell out of her eyes.

She hated being here and just wanted to go home and look after her sisters. She didn't want to be here without them and it looked as if she would not make any friends to help her cope either as everyone in her class already thought she was odd and annoying.


	3. Chapter 3

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Chapter Three

The day after her breakdown in PE was about to prove to Esmerelda that her time at Cackles was not going to be easy. After her first successful potion Esmerelda knew that everyone was waiting for her to mess up but she had being practising these potions for years, she knew how to do them. So in her next lesson when she once again made the right potion her classmates glared at her.

Esmerelda wished they wouldn't. It wasn't her fault she was a Hallow and expected to achieve high grades, and it was not her fault she could make it and they couldn't. When she left her second potion lesson that day she saw the two girls she had sat with in Chanting the day prior Wendy Woodstone and Millicent Craftwood, were speaking and laughing with the two girls who had bullied her in PE. She walked past them quickly, hanging her head, hoping they didn't see her.

Even older pupils seemed to be giving her dirty looks, word had obviously spread about her doing well in potions and the older pupils were clearly not happy that a first year was already beating them academically. She walked quickly heading to the library, hoping she could get some more peace there.

There was only a few pupils there as it was breaktime so most would not spend their time in a library when they could be chatting and having fun. She took a seat and got out her book of choice for that time, deciding to read a chapter or two before her next class.

* * *

She was therefore glad when the day ended. She could go to her room and away from prying eyes in peace. She was sitting on her bed, doing homework and stroking Morgana when she heard her door open and the four girls she had seen after potions walk in.

"You can't just walk in here" Esmerelda told them wondering how they had the cheek to do that.

"Well I just did" the tallest girl said. She was skinny with chestnut coloured hair, blue eyes and a smirk on her face. She was stood with the other bully from yesterday who was chubby, had glasses and black hair and Millicent and Wendy.

"What do you want?" Esmerelda asked annoyed

"You are a teacher's pet, so we want you to do our homework for us" the other bully said and Esmie scoffed in response.

"In your dreams" she told them wondering how they would force her to do that.

"If you don't do what we say I will put my fist in your face" the girl who had been smirking said. Esmerelda thought she had heard someone call her Delilah and her friend she was sure was called Gretel.

"Oh what you can't do spells well enough to inure me you have to fight like you aren't a witch? How pathetic" Esmerelda replied. She saw she had hit a nerve as the girls opened their mouth and glared at her. Clearly they had not expected her to answer back.

"There is four of us and one of you, do you want us to teach you a lesson?" Gretel asked Esmerelda.

"Do what you want, I don't really care to be honest" Esmerelda told them. She was not afraid of them. She was after all the daughter of Triton and Ursula Hallow, she wouldn't fear a bunch of eleven year olds who couldn't even use magic to fight.

Esmerelda thought her standing up to them would cause them to leave, realising she was not going to fight with them, but as she wrote her essay, waiting for them to leave she felt one of the girls reach around her and take something of her desk. She looked over and her eyes went wide as she saw what she was holding.

"GIVE THAT BACK" Esmerelda shouted as she saw the girl was holding the picture of Ethel and Sybil. She only had one at school with her so it was a huge deal.

"Are these your sisters? Are they geeks too?" one of the girls laughed. Esmerelda lunged forward to get it.

"Did your parents never teach you not to grab stuff?" Deliah said moving it out of her grasp.

"Please give it back" Esmerelda said feeling herself becoming panicked.

"Aww she said please, maybe I should" Delilah said holding it as if she was deciding. "Na" she said before laughing and walking to her window.

"Do you think it would break if I drop it" she said and smiled as she saw Esmerelda was sweating. Esmerelda couldn't help it. She was reacting how they wanted her to, she was panicking so much about the photo.

"No please don't" Esmerelda said feeling herself about to tear up.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't" she said chuckling. "Why do you care so much? It is nothing good to look at anyway" the girl said not realising how dangerous the words she were saying were.

Esmerelda was a Hallow. She had Hallow blood running through her veins, but she was not violent or cruel, she constantly had to tell Ethel of for her temper but she was normally able to control hers but not when someone insulted her precious sisters, she could feel her temper rising as the girl spoke about them.

"They are pretty ugly, it might help if the picture cracks" Delilah said chuckling again as she looked at her friends. That though was the moment Esmerelda realised she was not going to be able to control her temper, no-one spoke about her sisters. No-one.

Before she could think about it she was lunging forward and attacking Delilah who gasped in shock. Esmerelda felt her slap her face so Esmerelda reacted by casting a spell that gave the girl an electric shock. She screamed and Esmerelda grabbed her photo frame clutching it to her chest safety. She could sense Deliah about to attack her again so she slapped her before she got the chance just as Miss Hardbroom appeared from thin air.

"WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?" She said casting a spell to separate the two girls

"SHE STARTED IT" Esmerelda shouted

"NO SHE DID" Delilah shouted back

"I DO NOT CARE WHO STARTED IT, BOTH OF YOU GET TO MISS CACKLE'S OFFICE NOW" she told them as she transferred them to see the headmistress.

* * *

"Really girls, it is only your second day" Miss Cackle told them shaking her head as she was told about the fight.

"She attacked me first!" Delilah said not wanting to get in trouble for defending herself.

"Esmerelda you shouldn't of attacked her, if there was a problem you should have gone to see one of the teachers" she told the blonde as Delilah smirked.

"But you knew you were winding her up, and I will not tolerate this behaviour Delilah, if you have problems with each other I don't care, stay away from each other if you really can't stand one another but I will not tolerate fighting" she told the girls. Neither girl was badly injured. Both had a red cheek from where they had slapped each other but that was it.

"You will both receive a detention, as it is your first week I will not inform your parents but I don't want either of you in here again" she told them before pointing her hand at the door and using a spell to open it. "You may go Delilah, Esmerelda I want to have another word" she told her as Delilah smirked and left.

"Esmerelda, you are head of year, you are meant to be setting an example" Ada told her not shouting at her though.

"She insulted my sisters and was going to throw my photo of them out the window!" Esmerelda replied explaining herself.

"Esmerelda I know you are homesick but you can't lash out at everyone who insults your sisters" she told the girl, knowing she was wound up and it was not all her fault but she had to learn not to take it so seriously.

"I am sorry Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said feeling teary again. She missed her sisters more than ever, all she felt was homesickness.

"I am going to sign you up for a club, I think it might take your mind of your homesickness and you might make some more friends, I expect you to go, this is to help you Esmerelda" Ada told her and Esmie sighed not really wanting to go to a club but she nodded.

"Yes Miss Cackle" she told her with a sigh

"We don't want you in here again unless it is for a good reason, now go and stay away from Delilah and her friends, if she enters your room again go and find a teacher" Ada told her trying to help the girl. Everyone was still trying to settle but she hoped this silly fighting would cease.

"I will, sorry Miss Cackle" Esmerelda told her before she left the room. From that day on she broke a school rule and used magic to lock her bedroom door. They weren't supposed to lock them but she didn't care. Her photo frame was to precious to leave easy access for.


	4. Chapter 4

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* * *

Chapter Four

It was finally here. The time where the girls were allowed to mirror home. Esmerelda had never ran so fast at Cackles before, she wanted to get their early, not having to wait to long. Arriving, she saw three girls already waiting so joined the back of the queue, giddy with excitement.

Esmerelda was not a fidget. In fact she was very good at staying still but in that moment she was fidgeting with excitement and anticipation, she saw the first girl come out and the second go in, it wouldn't be long now.

Luckily she couldn't see the group of bullies so she didn't have to worry about them trying to cut in. The second girl was only in ten minutes and then the third girl went in, she was next. She could barely refrain from running in, just a few minutes and she would see her beloved sisters.

* * *

When the girl came out Esmerelda forced herself to walk normally into the room, not wanting anyone to think she was strange, but as soon as the door was closed she rushed over to the chair, held up the card with the her two sister's names on and waited impatiently for the call to connect.

Ethel and Sybil were talking quietly so they didn't notice that they were mirroring their sister. Esmie couldn't wait any longer to talk to them.

"ETHIE, SYBIE" She shouted so happy and excited to see them both. Both the young blonde girls looked up and beamed as they saw Esmie.

"Esmie!" Both of them shouted happily. They were just as thrilled to see her and sat on the bed so they could talk properly.

"I miss you both so much!" Esmerelda told them. It felt so much longer than a few days since she had been at home with them. It felt like months.

"We miss you too!" Sybil said, her face turning sad.

"Oh don't be sad" Esmerelda said not liking her sisters sad.

"It is strange without you here" Ethel replied with a sigh as she looked at the floor sadly. All three of them had to adjust not just Esmie.

"I know, I find it strange too, I can't believe I only get to talk to you both once a week" Esmerelda said thinking it was a crime. She should be able to speak to them daily.

"How is school anyway?" Ethel asked trying to lighten the mood a little

Esmerelda didn't know what to tell them. Lessons were interesting and she loved learning more about magic but she had no friends and already had people picking on her for being so smart. She didn't want them to worry about her though.

"It is…..okay…..but it is not the same without you two" Esmerelda said thinking that way they won't think it is to odd, if she didn't like school because of their absence.

"Is Miss Hardbroom really as scary as they say?" Sybil asked as in their world it was known from an early age HB was not a woman to mess with.

"Oh yes, she has already given out a whole bunch of detentions to the first years who made the wrong potion, luckily I have avoided it so far" Esmerelda told them. Thinking of nothing worse than having detention with HB. "Anyway are you two okay? I mean are you being looked after?" Esmie asked panicking they were both being starved without her there to make sure they had food.

"Yes, the servants they bring us food three times a day, though they are not as nice as you are" Ethel replied, sighing again as she shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Esmie asked confused at that statement.

"They don't like us being fussy, you know I hate pasta and meatballs served together and I like it on separate plates but when I told them they shouted at me" Sybil said looking close to tears at the memory.

Esmerelda was sad about that. She knew without her there Ethel and Sybil would not have the luxury of having food they liked, it was true they were both very picky, she knew it would annoy some people but at least they would eat and enjoy it if they had something they liked, Esmerelda was heartbroken that Sybil got shouted at. She was so sensitive.

"I am sorry Sybie, I wish I had been there" Esmerelda said wanting nothing more than to fall into the mirror and wrap them both in her arms to protect them.

"And I didn't even get to eat breakfast yesterday" Ethel said looking sad

"Why Ethie?" Esmerelda asked, about to go home that second to ask why they didn't give Ethel her breakfast.

"Because when they brought it they gave me jam sandwiches, as soon as they put it in front of me I could smell the raspberry and knew that was the flavour of the jam, I told them I couldn't eat it and they told me I didn't have to but I wouldn't get anything else, I tried to go to the kitchen to get something else but they noticed me and became annoyed" Ethel explained exactly what the problem with breakfast had been.

This time though Ethel was not just being picky and deciding she would rather starve than eat raspberry jam, the fact of the matter was she actually couldn't eat it. Ethel had a severe raspberry allergy, one lick bought her out in a rash and constricted her airways. Esmerelda would never forget how they discovered this. Ethel was only about two so their grandma had decided to give her some new food to try. The toddler had taken one bite of the raspberry and started making a funny choking noise. Luckily they were at their Grandma's house and she loved Ethel and had much more common sense than there parents, so when Esmie had ran to her in tears to say something was wrong with Ethel she had transferred her straight to hospital. Ethel was fine luckily as they got her there so early but the doctor said she was highly allergic to raspberry. Esmerelda had always being so cautious then, when they were given food at home she went through it for a good few minutes just to make sure it was free of the food that could kill her sister. Now Ethel was older she didn't have to worry so much as Ethel knew about her allergy but if she hadn't of noticed it was raspberry….Esmie didn't want to think about it.

"I told them time and time again that you are allergic, you would think they would get that into their heads by now" Esmerelda said annoyed. Ethel could have ended up in so much danger all because of some adults who wouldn't listen.

"So did I, I told them why I couldn't eat it but they wouldn't have it, I told Sybil to eat though, I didn't want her to stave too" Ethel replied as she looked at her little sister. Esmie smiled, happy at Ethel being nice to Sybil. Sometimes you had to make sacrifices for family.

"I felt bad but I couldn't even offer her some of mine because it was the same, and I didn't want to risk giving her some bread from it in case it had some jam on I couldn't see"" Sybil told Esmerelda who nodded. How did an eight and nine year old have much more common sense than any of the adults in their mansion? The adults in charge of their care?

"That was wise Sybil, I am going to contact Gran to tell her to keep an eye on you, I don't trust them cooks" Esmerelda said not knowing what she would do if she was taken to see Miss Cackle to be told her sister was in hospital after an allergic reaction. At least Josephine would watch over them and probably shout at the kitchen staff and get further than Esmie managed to with that. She wouldn't contact her parents, they never remembered about Ethel's allergy.

"Maybe we should do it, you will find it hard to sneak to the mirror room during the morning" Ethel said logically as she knew she would get in more trouble at school than they would at home.

"Alright just tell her I told you to contact her, don't forget, this is important" Esmerelda told them.

"We won't" Sybil said smiling at her sister.

"I love you both, I couldn't stand it if something happened to you" Esmerelda told them and they both smiled.

"We know, we love you two, we will be okay don't worry" Ethel told her.

Esmerelda wanted to believe her but they had never had to look after themselves before and Esmerelda was a natural worrier and was worried she wasn't there to protect them. She hated being so far she couldn't do anything.

Esmerelda wanted to speak to them all day, but the time was almost up. Mirror calls did not last forever, if they did she would never leave the room.

"I don't have much time left, the call is going to end" Esmerelda told them sadly.

She held her tears in as she said goodbye to them, Ethel and Sybil were not so subtle and both had tears streaming. She knew they were still finding her absence as weird as she found it. She didn't want them to cry but at least she knew the feelings were mutual.

"I am sorry, the call is about to cut out, I love you both" Esmerelda said just as the call ended and she was left looking in a normal mirror. She spent the next ten minutes crying before she left, unable to believe it was going to be another week until she got to speak to them and worried sick about her sisters.


	5. Chapter 5

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* * *

Chapter Five

After talking to her sisters Esmerelda was more miserable than ever, seeing them but not being able to hug them was torture for her. The group of bullies were going out of their way to make her unwelcome at Cackles.

"It must be nice, being Miss Hardbroom's favourite pupil" Delilah said loudly as she smiled at Esmie who glared at her. She was trying to ignore the girl because she didn't want to get in trouble again and she was not worth the hassle.

The thing was HB and the other teachers only made things more difficult for her because they kept going on about how brilliant she was. Esmerelda wished they wouldn't, making her look like a teacher's pet was only making people despise her. She sometimes even tried to fail tests, but she never quite managed it.

Ada had finally signed her up for a club. Flying club. Esmerelda was a great flier and enjoyed it but the idea of this club terrified her, she did after all have most of the school despising her, it wouldn't surprise her if she got pushed of the broom to her death but Ada wouldn't listen, she said flying club would help her meet other pupils, because all year groups were welcome. Great. She thought to herself, fifth years would have free reign to injure her.

* * *

She tried not to think to much of the negatives as she walked to the grounds that Wednesday afternoon for the club. Miss Drill was in charge of it and she saw a whole bunch of girls already gathered around talking to one another.

"Girls" Miss Drill shouted to get their attention. They stopped talking and looked at the woman.

"Flying is much more than a tradition, it is something you can do to feel free and enter a different world, when I am upset I go flying and it helps clear my mind, in flying club it doesn't matter how good you are at flying, this is about escaping for an hour and having fun. So are you all ready to fly? Miss Drill asked them. Some girls said yes, others said nothing. Miss Drill smiled taking that to mean yes. She blew her whistle and the girls gathered around mounting their broomsticks. Esmerelda joined them and took of flying into the sky.

Esmerelda loved flying. Her and Ethel sometimes went flying together at home, Sybil didn't go with them as she despised flying so it had become the older two's thing. It was always relaxing to be able to fly and look at the beautiful scenery, she truly did love it.

But Ethel was not at school so she was flying as far away from the other students as possible, not trusting any of them at all. Most of the students didn't even glance at her, at least they hadn't noticed her, she thought to herself.

Esmie flew slowly, trying to clear her head. Cackles was so different than she thought it would be, she didn't know what she expected but she thought it would be different. She missed Ethel and Sybil and let a few tears fall, safe in the air from prying eyes.

She didn't know if they had spoke to her grandmother yet but she was so worried about her girls. What if they were suffering badly and they were just trying to hide it? She knew they would not want her to worry about them and they were probably less fine than they said they were, but being Hallows they were good at hiding things.

She was so lost in thought se didn't notice the group of second years flying fast towards her. One of the girls gasped, nearly colliding with her but she managed to move out of the way. Esmie zoned back in and gasped as she felt herself nearly fall of the broom from the contact. She steadied herself shaken up.

"Sorry" Esmerelda said with a sigh. She knew they were going to try and blame her for being in the way. She flew off before any of them could respond, hoping this hour would go quickly.

* * *

Nothing else happened during the hour and the girl was grateful when she was told they could now land. She landed swiftly, wanting to get to her room as quick as possible.

"Esmerelda" she heard Miss Drill said. She closed her eyes just wanting to leave but turned to look at her.

"Yes miss?" Esmerelda said politely as the girls around them walked into the castle.

"I saw them girls nearly crash into you, are you okay?" Miss Drill asked concerned. "I was getting ready to come up but then I saw the crash didn't happen" she went on explaining to Esmerelda.

"I am fine Miss" Esmerelda replied. She was a little shaken but she was okay really.

"Are you sure?" Miss Drill asked. Esmie nodded hoping she was looking okay.

"Good I am glad, How is your homesickness now?" Miss Drill asked remembering how upset the girl had been in her lesson.

"Fine, it is gone" Esmerelda lied not wanting her to make a fuss about it.

"Are you sure about that?" Miss Drill asked not believing her

"Yes, I mirrored my sisters so I am happy now" Esmeralda replied. Dimity nodded and told her she could talk to her if she needed to before sending the first year on her way.

* * *

A monthly staff meeting was held at Cackles. It was always held on a Friday, after the girls had gone to bed, that way they didn't have anyone who was watching the girls absent. Normally these meetings were boring. Hecate would suggest something, no-one else would like it and she would be annoyed for the rest of the meeting.

However staff meetings were important, they were the time the teachers could speak about any concerns they had about pupils or in general. Dimity could tell the young blonde was still suffering and she was not sure if anyone else had noticed, if so she thought the girl needed some help to settle properly.

"Ada I do want to talk about Esmerelda Hallow" Dimity said as they settled down for their monthly staff meeting.

"Yes the girl is exceptionally bright for her age, I wouldn't be surprised if she was moved up a year" Miss Hardbroom said, complimenting the girl, not realising Miss Drill was talking about something else.

"I am not talking about her grades, I am concerned about her, she is homesick and doesn't appear to have made any friends, I have seen some of the other pupils being harsh on her" Dimity said hoping this would be taking seriously.

"I have already spoken to the girl Dimity, and her lack of friends is why I put her in your flying club" Ada replied and Dimity sighed.

"Well it isn't helping, she is still not talking to anyone, she spends the time flying alone, I think we need to do something else" Dimity replied as she looked at the other teachers.

"Like what? Bring her sisters here as students earlier than we are supposed to so she is not homesick? You know it is not possible Miss Drill" Hecate replied again, thinking her suggestion was ridiculous and shooting it down straight away.

"I obviously know that, I just think we should keep an eye on the girl, she will not enjoy school if she never settles, maybe give her extra mirroring time for now, as she learns to deal with her homesickness" Dimity suggested. She knew HB would say it wasn't fair on the rest of the pupils but the fact of the matter is some pupils needed to speak to their family more.

"I for one think that is a good idea, obviously we don't have to tell the other pupils about it" Miss Bat said, thinking of a solution to the problem.

"Mirroring might just make her more homesick" Ada replied worried it would do more harm than good.

"Yes but it might help her more, I think we should at least try it, there is no harm in it" Miss Drill said and Ada nodded.

"Alright I agree, but only until she settles in more, I will talk to her about it tomorrow morning" Ada replied with a smile.

"Great, but how will we help the girl to socialise more?" Miss Bat asked, worried about that too. School was lonely when you had no-one to spend it with.

"I don't know, there is not much we can do, we can push her together with some other girls but you can't force them to be friends" Ada told them all logically.

Everyone nodded knowing she was right. They had to let Esmie deal with that by herself, but they could help her with her homesickness. Once she was feeling more settled she would make more friends, everyone just knew it.


	6. Chapter 6

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* * *

Chapter Six

Esmerelda smiled for the first time since she started school when Miss Cackle went to tell her she had special permission to mirror home more often, Esmerelda was taking advantage of that and mirrored her sisters as soon as her lessons were over the next day.

"Esmie! I thought you were only allowed to mirror once a week?" Ethel said smiling as she saw her sister appear out of nowhere.

"Miss Cackle said I can mirror more, I don't know why but I am not going to question it, how are you both?" Esmerelda asked seeing they looked okay health wise which was a relief.

"Okay, but I cut my finger" Sybil said sadly as she held up her right hand to show her that her pointer finger had a plaster on it.

"Oh Sybie are you okay!? How did you do that?" Esmerelda asked hating the thought of her sister hurt.

"I was practising potions like usual and I cut myself on a thorn" Sybil said as she remembered how she had tried to carefully pick up the ingredient but it had still cut her. She never liked to use thorns in potions.

"Oh Sybie, that is awful!" Esmie said wanting to go and kiss her finger better but unable to from where she was. She knew Sybil would have cried, not just because of the pain but because she hated blood and the thought of little Sybil crying killed Esmerelda inside.

"I tried to heal it as best as I could, I found plasters in your first aid kid that you left" Ethel told her sister who smiled happily. Ethel at least had tried to help Sybil, even if she didn't know much about injuries.

"Thank you Ethie, I wish I could be there sorry Sybie" the eldest blonde said. She was actually prepared to go tell Miss Cackle she had to go home as her sister was injured, but when she found out it was for a cut finger she suspected the woman would not let her and might even get mad at her.

"It is okay it is so not painful now" Sybil said smiling as Esmerelda remembered something.

"Did you talk to Gran?" she asked remembering they both said they were going to do that. Ethel and Sybil looked at each other then and started giggling.

"What is so funny?" Esmerelda asked smiling as they laughed. She liked hearing that her sisters were happy.

"We mirrored her, and then she changed it so she was mirroring the people in the kitchen, she shouted at the cooks about their negligence and how they nearly gave Ethel something she was allergic too and one of them was so scared he went to hide under the table" Sybil told her sister as she laughed at the thought of the grown man hiding.

* * *

Esmerelda listened then started laughing herself. That was Grandma Josephine for you, sweet and kind but deadly and poison if you get on the wrong side of her, she was probably the most terrifying Hallow you could meet, and that is a record considering the whole family was quite scary at times.

"I don't think he is going to slack on his job again" Ethel said as the three sisters laughed at the thought of the a grown man hiding under the table like a little boy from an old woman who was thousands of miles away.

"Well at least he knows now" Esmerelda said as she laughed some more "How has the food being since then?" Esmerelda asked

"Better" Sybil replied as she looked at her sister

"Still not as good as the way you make it though, they never can remember the way we like things" Ethel replied and Esmerelda chuckled more.

"Yes well you two are picky, it is hard to remember how you like everything and what you won't eat" Esmerelda replied knowing they were to picky for their own good. Maybe she should of tried to make them less picky and not give in to how they wanted food done because they might of learned to eat whatever she gave them but she just wanted her sisters to be happy and like eating, not think it was a chore.

"All Hallows are picky, it is in our genes" Ethel replied and Esmerelda nodded in agreement.

Ethel had a point. Even their parents wanted food done certain ways. Esmerelda was picky too, not as much as her sisters but she could still be a picky eater and Grandma Josephine was like Esmerelda too, it was just part of their family way to be picky but Ethel and Sybil were way more picky than anyone else in their family, they were extra picky.

"How is school food?" Ethel asked interested in what food her sister got served.

Esmerelda suddenly paled at the question, at the thought oo what she was forced to eat and Ethel and Sybil looked at each other curiously.

"What is up?" Ethel asked wondering about the odd reaction

"Sorry" Esmerelda said not wanting to worry them "It is just the thought of that stuff they call food, it is always cold or wet, the porridge is the worst, it is like they got some cement and served it to us" Esmerelda told her sisters pulling a disgusted face.

"Eww gross!" Sybil said as she also looked disgusted.

"I wouldn't eat it" Ethel said as she was the most picky of the three and was very very particular about food and what she would eat.

"HB makes sure we eat it or she won't let us leave, plus we have no choice, we would starve to death if we didn't" Esmerelda told her sisters sadly, wishing she had a way to not eat that muck.

"Pretend you have an allergy, they might give you something else" Ethel suggested, thinking of a way that might help her sister.

"No way, the dinner witches are some of the nastiest people in the whole school, they hate all the students and get angry if you talk about their food" Esmerelda said as she remembered a girl who tried to get something else once and then she left the hall in tears from the telling off she received.

"I am sorry you have to suffer with that" Sybil said, feeling bad for her sister.

"It is okay, it is only a couple of times a day thankfully" Esmerelda said. She was just about to ask her sisters something else when suddenly her parents appeared in front of the mirror, blocking her sisters from view.

* * *

"Hey darling" her mother, Ursula, said, smiling as she spoke to her eldest.

Esmerelda smiled softly, she wanted to talk to her sisters, at least to say goodbye to them, but her parents were completely blocking their view.

"Well met mother, father" Esmerelda said politely

"How are you finding grand old Cackles?" her father, Triton, asked her.

"It is great "Esmerelda lied not wanting to talk about the fact she was homesick and lonely, her parents would only get annoyed and say she wasn't trying.

"And how are lessons? How is your work going?" her mother than asked.

"Yes I am doing fine, all A's" Esmerelda told them but not smugly, she just knew that was what they wanted to hear. She knew they wanted to hear she was doing perfectly.

"That is fantastic darling, make sure you keep it up" Ursula told her and Esmerelda nodded in agreement.

"Our perfect daughter only gets the best" Mr Hallow told her and Esmie sighed, always hating when someone spoke about her like that. It wasn't true and it just made her look big headed when she wasn't.

"Yes father" Esmerelda said looking at a spot on the floor embarrassed.

Her parents then proceeded to talk to her for half an hour, Ethel and Sybil must have left as she couldn't see them anymore but soon Mr and Mrs Hallow were about to go.

"Sorry darling we have to go, it is time for work, we have an extra shift tonight" Mrs Hallow said and Esmie smiled before speaking.

"Okay but can you put Ethel and Syb.." she said but she didn't get to finish as her father spoke over her.

"Bye darling, talk later" he said and Esmerelda could only watch as the mirror went blank and all she could see in it was her reflection again.

"No!" Esmie said before trying to call them again but no-one answered and she stayed sat there, broken inside. She was allowed to mirror home again, but with her parents in a way she still couldn't speak to her sisters all she wanted.


	7. Chapter 7

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Chapter Seven

Esmerelda woke up and looked around confused as to where she was. She felt something on her face and lifted her hand to touch it pulling a piece of paper of her face. It was only then when she looked at the paper she realised she had fallen asleep whilst writing her potions essay, she jumped up and saw it was midnight, she moaned knowing it was late but she had to finish her work.

So the essay was not due for a few days yet, and she only had a couple of paragraphs left to write but the blonde girl was a perfectionist, her work had to be perfect and not thrown together in the last moment, she was exhausted though so told herself half an hour more and then she would go to sleep.

Half an hour more ended up being ten minutes though as sleep overtook the girl again and she laid her head on her desk, she was out like a light within a couple of seconds.

The poor girl was so tired, an earthquake would not have woken her from her slumber and that is why she did not hear her window open or the sound of footsteps that followed, she also didn't stir when she was lifted even if bruises were forming from the people carrying her.

"You are going to be in so much trouble Hallow" a girl whispered as they laid her on the sofa and got to work.

* * *

Esmerelda normally was an early riser, she was normally up early to study, read or do some work she needed to do, but today she was so tired she overslept and it was ten when the girl finally woke, it was not that big a deal, it was a Sunday, the only thing she missed was breakfast and that was nothing to cry about.

It was only when she opened her eyes that she felt a strange feeling on her hand. It was the feeling that you get when you accidentally get glue on your hand and it dries and then your hand feels stiff. Esmie opened her eyes curiously and saw something pink on her hand. She touched it gently and felt it was very slightly damp, it looked like paint, but she didn't own any paint so why did she have paint on her hand?

It was only as she became fully awake though she realised that paint was also on her other hand and she sat up to try and make sense of this strange situation. She looked around and had no idea where she was. It wasn't her bedroom, it was a room filled with sofas and set up like it was a living room, she tried to wrack her morning brain for any sense of this when she noticed something and gasped.

Paint was covering the photo frames in the room and with horror Esmerelda realised this must be the staffroom as the paintings were of various famous witches throughout history. Someone had also drawn a smiley face in paint on the wall and had drawn a moustache on the photo of Miss Cackle. Esmerelda had no idea what was going on but she knew she had to leave before she was caught.

She rushed towards the door when it suddenly opened and Miss Hardbroom and Miss Cackle walked in casually, they only had a few seconds to realise what they were looking at when water balloons fell on them from above their heads.

"What on earth?" Miss Hardbroom shouted moving her wet hair out of her face before she caught sight of Esmerelda, covered in paint and the paint all over the room, and her eyes grew red with anger.

* * *

The young blonde was in Miss Cackle's office shocked. The thing was she was not even sure it had not being her to do the mess, could she have sleepwalked? She couldn't remember anything from before she went to sleep, but all she remembered was sitting at her desk in her room, the rest of her mind was foggy.

"I never would have expected this from you Esmerelda, I am hurt, we give you extra mirror time to try and help you and you do this!" Miss Cackle said shaking her head.

"But Miss Cackle….it wasn't me...at least I don't remember doing it" Esmerelda explained, trying to defend herself even if she was just as confused as the adults.

"Don't be silly girl, we caught you red, well in your case pink, handed!" Miss Hardbroom told her. Esmerelda had never seen the woman look so angry before.

"I am not lying, I really don't remember, I fell asleep at my desk and then woke up in the staffroom!" Esmerelda told her teachers.

"Maybe what you remember is falling asleep in the staffroom girl!" Miss Hardbroom told her not believing her.

Esmerelda was not even sure Miss Hardbroom was wrong, she was about to reply when the door opened and Miss Drill walked in.

"Miss Drill, we are in the middle of something here! Ada said annoyed that the woman was interrupting.

"I know I heard what happened, I don't think Esmerelda did anything" Miss Drill said sticking up for the girl. Someone had to because no-one looked like they would.

"Miss Drill we found her at the scene of the crime, covered in paint! Miss Hardbroom replied rolling her eyes, she was losing patience with the woman.

"But you must both know this is wrong, Esmerelda would not do this!" the woman went on annoyed.

"It is okay Miss Drill" Esmerelda said knowing she was not going to be able to get out of it and ready for her punishment. In a way she was glad, maybe she would get expelled and be able to go home and see her sisters. She missed them so much, Esmerelda actually thought she would be relieved if she got to return home to them.

"I am taking away your right to mirror call home for the next few weeks" Ada told her and Esmerelda's eyes went wide in shock.

"No you can't, I need to talk to my sisters!" Esmerelda said feeling her heart break at the thought oo not being able to talk to them, was it not bad enough she was so far away from them?

"Well you should have thought about that before" Miss Hardbroom told her. Esmerelda looked down then trying to stop the tears falling that were pricking at her eyes.

"I also want you to help Miss Hardbroom to clean the potions lab and I will be writing to your parents, now please go" Miss Cackle said using a tone Esmerelda had never heard before, she turned and left, only getting outside in time to start crying.

* * *

It would be weeks until the girl got to speak to her sisters, she didn't know how she would cope. She had started to realise as she lay on her bed someone had set her up, she suspected it was the gang of bullies in her year, but most of the school hated her so really it could have being anyone.

She assumed they were trying to get her expelled, but unfortunately Miss Cackle was to soft to take that action, but the punishment she had given the girl honestly felt worse. Maybe some people would not understand that logic but Esmerelda's universe revolved around her sisters, that was the most important thing to her and now it had being taken away from her.

"It is not fair Morgana, I should be able to speak to Ethel and Sybil" Esmerelda said wiping a tear as she stroked her little cat. The cat meowed sadly and pushed her head into her arm to comfort her.

"How will I cope without talking to them?" Esmerelda went on. She had being struggling without talking to them for days, but weeks would be torture, that was the moment Esmerelda decided something.

The girl was honestly more upset she was being made out to be a liar. Her stupid family name made it so no-one believed you when something unexpected happened, Hallows were known for their bad blood. Esmerelda knew it was hard to believe she didn't do anything but for Miss Cackle to take away the one thing important to her was what sent the girl into fits of tears. She came to a decision then, if Ethel and Sybil couldn't come to her, she would go to them.

"Morgana, we are running away" Esmerelda said as she stood up to pack some things. She didn't want to be at the school anymore, she just wanted to get home and see her two sisters, nothing else mattered in that moment.

She threw some of her clothes in her trunk and then put Morgana in her carrier before she went to her window and called her broomstick. It appeared and she sat on it and started to fly away from the castle. She knew she would get in trouble for this but in that moment she didn't really care about that.

"We will be seeing Ethel and Sybil soon" Esmerelda said smiling at her cat as she flew further away from the school, her heart soaring at the thought of soon being back at home with her two darling sisters.


	8. Chapter 8

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* * *

Chapter Eight

Esmerelda was for the first time grateful for Miss Cackle forcing her to join the flying club as she was pretty much perfect at flying now from all her practise. She flew away from her school, giddy with excitement about very soon being able to hold Ethie and Sybie in her arms. Morgana meowed, still a kitten and not happy about being locked in her cage.

"It is alright Morgana, as soon as we are at home I will let you out" Esmerelda told her kitten as she flew further away.

The journey was uneventful to say the least, apart from the fact Morgana kept meowing. The cat's cries grew louder as she was not let out of her carrier but that was not the thing Esmerelda was focused on, she could see something getting nearer between the clouds as she looked back and was horrified to see Miss Drill appear flying. She was not sure if the woman had just gone flying or she had been told to find her but Esmerelda did not want to be caught.

"Esmerelda no wait" Miss Drill said as the girl saw her teacher and flew faster into the clouds, trying to get away from the woman but unfortunately for her Miss Drill was a pro flyer who had won all sorts of awards for her flying ability so she was able to catch up with her.

Esmerelda was so concerned about trying to get away from the sports teacher she didn't notice the tree and was still looking back when she hit it. She grabbed Morgana's cage as the broom tipped and she started to fall, she was quite high up in the air so she knew she was in trouble.

Miss Drill though luckily saw what happened and flew towards the girl and grabbed her before she had a chance to think to much about what was going on, she pulled the girl onto the broomstick behind her. Esmerelda was tempted to try get off the broomstick but in all honestly she was to scared to fall, she wanted to live to see Ethel and Sybil again.

"Are you okay?" Miss Drill asked as she slowed down and turned around to fly them back towards the castle. She knew the girl could have hurt herself even if she didn't fall because of the way she fell of the broomstick, Esmerelda didn't reply but cried gently to herself. Knowing she had to go back to school. Miss Drill seemed to pick up on the fact she was crying more from the shock and couldn't really do anything in the air anyway so neither of them said anything else as she flew them back towards the castle.

* * *

Landing on the grass, Esmerelda jumped of the broomstick and held Morgana's cage to her chest as soon as her feet touched ground. She looked away from her teacher, expecting a telling off but instead she felt the woman touch her shoulder.

"Why don't we have a chat?" she suggested and Esmerelda was about to say it was not needed but the woman led her away to the back of the gardens. No-one really went around there, especially in this weather as it was cold. She sat on a bench and Esmerelda sat next to her, not knowing what to say.

"I know you are upset Esmerelda but running away from your problems never solves them, sometimes you need to face them head on" Miss Drill told her and Esmerelda sniffled before speaking quietly.

"Miss Cackle has stopped my mirror calls" Esmerelda said wiping a stray tear from the corner of her eye. "I didn't even do anything" Esmerelda went on, hurt and upset and overwhelmed in that moment.

"I know you didn't" Miss Drill said and Esmie looked at her confused, she had expected her to think she was lying like everyone else.

"Esmerelda you are way to smart to think of a prank like that, it was childish and stupid, if you were going to prank someone it would be done in a smart way" the woman told her as she had known Esmerelda was not guilty. Esmerelda's pranks would be much better than painting a room and drawing a moustache on a photo of a teacher.

"Yes well Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom think I did it, I hate being here" Esmerelda admitted not caring if it upset the woman talking badly about her co-workers or her workplace.

"I know, just because others are blind doest mean I am, you are having a hard time" Miss Drill said and Esmerelda sighed.

"Yes, I just want to see my sisters, it is hard being away from them but I could cope when I got to mirror them, it was what I looked forward to" Esmie told her teacher and this time it was Dimity's turn to sigh.

"I can't overturn Miss Cackle, she is in charge but I promise you it will be alright, your sisters will be coming to school with you in a few years and then it will be better" Miss Drill told the girl trying to help her even if she couldn't really do anything.

"It is to long away, I want to go home" Esmerelda said, she didn't see why she couldn't just leave, it was only affecting her if she missed her education.

"You need your education Esmerelda" the woman told her knowing it wasn't an option.

"Then maybe I can day school, I don't have to board do I? If I go home at the end of the day, then I can see my sisters and be happy" Esmerelda smiled as she looked at her teacher.

"I wish we could make that happen but the Great Wizard will not accept it" Miss Drill replied before she sighed again.

The thing was the wizard would not accept it because then it would not be fair on the rest of the pupils but Miss Drill was still trying to figure out why it was so important for witching schools to be boarding schools. Magical people believed it helped the youngsters become independent, as they had to do things for themselves and they achieved better because they didn't go home and forget everything they learn that day when they started playing games or 'chilling out' because they were still under the rules of a school. Miss Drill knew there was advantages but there was disadvantages too, homesickness made it so pupils would be to upset to concentrate and it was just a matter of fact some did better in day school. She thought it should at least be an option because one thing did not work for all pupils, and in Esmerelda's case it wasn't working at all.

"But I still miss my sisters" Esmerelda said as she started crying again, still so homesick and having no friends or support was making it so she was not settling in at all.

"I know it is difficult but you can't do anything about it Esmerelda, you will see them at half-term, it isn't that long away" Miss Drill told the young girl as she touched her back but the girl just cried more.

"Listen Esmerelda I know it is hard for you but you will be alright, if you are upset or need to talk you can always come to find me okay?" Miss Drill told her.

"Thank you Miss Drill" Esmerelda said as she kept sniffling. "Am I in trouble?" Esmie asked as she knew Miss Cackle was probably looking for her but the woman shook her head.

"I noticed you were gone when I went to do the room inspections, I had a feeling you had ran when I saw there was nothing in your room so I went to follow you, no-one knows but me" the woman said and with this Esmerelda became angry.

"I wanted to go home! Why did you bring me back!?" Esmerelda asked wondering why the woman had not just let her leave.

"Because I don't want you to give up your education so soon" Miss Drill told her calmly and Esmie glared at her annoyed.

"And because I knew you wouldn't get far, someone was bound to notice sooner or later and then you would be in a lot of trouble and even if you did happen to make it home you know that you would have being sent back to school" Miss Drill told her logically.

Esmerelda looked down then knowing the woman was right. Her parents would have had her carted back of to Cackles and she thought it might have broke her more, being with her sisters then having to say goodbye again. Esmerelda nodded then telling her teacher she understood what she meant.

"Thank you Miss" Esmerelda said and Miss Drill nodded, just hoping she had made the right decision.

"Why don't you go to your room before you are missed?" Miss Drill told her and Esmerelda nodded before standing up and walking towards the entrance.

Miss Drill watched her sadly go, she had a feeling things were not going to get easier for the girl, and she didn't have ways to help her. She could only do so much without getting into trouble herself.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I have never written a chapter like this before. I just thought this worked well for this story as Esmerelda is struggling with her homesickness and she is younger than in the series. Please review and tell me honestly what you think, if you hate it I will not write another one like this. Thanks.

* * *

Chapter Nine

After she returned to school it was clear no-one apart from Miss Drill had noticed the young blonde had left because no-one called to see her in Miss Cackle's office. That meant her punishment was still in place and she would not be allowed to mirror Ethel and Sybil.

One month. That was how long she had to get through without talking to them. She tired to remain positive and remember that a month really wasn't that long at all and soon she would be talking to them again but it didn't make it less difficult.

At first, the days were not that hard. It had after all being a weekly thing before so she didn't suffer as much as she would had if this punishment had been enforced when she first started at school. She tried to keep herself busy with work and school life but it wasn't long until things got harder.

Esmerelda had discovered a few days after her punishment who was responsible. It was Delilah and her gang of friends, Millicent, Wendy and Gretel. Esmerelda had not being surprised as she knew someone had set her up, she just wasn't sure who but when they had potions lesson the next day Delilah walked over to her smirking before whispering.

"How strange it is to see you when you are not covered in paint" the girl had said and Esmerelda looked at her confused, not clicking straight away, it was only when she left she understood what she meant, but she couldn't exactly tell Miss Cackle she had no prove at all except for her word which didn't hold for a lot right now.

When she realised who had set her up though she had been annoyed to say the least. Their stupid childish pranks now meant she would not be able to talk to her sisters for a month. She wasn't sure if they had done it on purpose to torture her with that or if they meant to get her expelled, it didn't matter because either way the girl was suffering.

When she was not in lessons she spent her time in her room. Getting up was hard these days, it was more than the worry than the hurt that was driving the girl insane. She worried so much something had happened to her sisters and she didn't know about it. This worry would lead to her crying for hours as she had no way of knowing if her sisters were okay and worst it was affecting her mind badly.

* * *

Esmerelda was not really one for nightmares. Her home-life wasn't happy per say but she still didn't suffer with them to much. Ethel and Sybil were more prone to them but over the last week she had not being talking to Ethel and Sybil the nightmares had gotten worse.

The was one dream that kept repeating itself though. Esmerelda would be sitting with her sisters at home and they would all be giggling as they told each other stories until it was time to put the girls to bed. Esmerelda would do the same thing as in real life in the dream, tuck them in, kiss their forehead, tell them she loves them and leave but when she left in the dream she would suddenly appear at Cackles. Away from her sisters.

The next part of the dream involved the girl at Cackles miserably, much as she was in real life, living through the hellish days at school but happy deep down as end of term was coming nearer, the scene would then change and it would be the day of half-term, the girl would see herself smiling excited and flying away from Cackles before she arrived at the front door and run in happily to see her sisters, but when she would go in and call them she would not get a response. She would call them again before panicking as she couldn't see them so she would rush up the stairs.

She looked all over the house for her sisters wondering if they had gone out, she couldn't help noticing the house was dead quiet, to quiet, she couldn't even hear the servants at work. Finally she would arrive at Ethel's bedroom and go in panicking before screaming.

Ethel had rashes all over her neck, meaning she had had an allergic reaction and her eyes were dead, not full of live at all and then she would see Sybil lying on the floor next to Ethel with a huge gash on her head which had blood coming out of it, clearly having of hit it. She would shake both of them trying to get them to wake, but to no avail. She was already to late and because she had not being there they were now both gone, their maltreatment had finally led to their deaths.

This was the moment Esmerelda would wake up drenched in sweat and feeling her throat restricting as she struggled to breath from worry at what she had just seen. It would take her ages to realise it was a horrible nightmare and it was not real, it always felt so real and always felt like it was really happening and it never stopped making her panic to no end.

She would have to sit on her bed clutching her chest as she tried to steady her breathing as she would be breathing rapidly in a panic from what she had seen, it was only once she started to calm down she would notice she was wet.

That was the biggest problem with the nightmares she was suffering from, like most children once she was out of her toddler years she always had dry nights, it was just something that people learned to do but since the nightmares had started she also started bed wetting. The first time it happened she had been to shocked to realise what had happened but now it was becoming a regular thing, it was happening to her most nights.

She tried to change things to help. Never drinking right before bed, going to use the toilet right before she hopped into bed but she would still wake up soaked. She was ashamed, this was not normal at her age and she could only imagine what adults would say if they found out at her age she was not able to control her bladder but the nightmare about her sisters scared her so much, it felt so real and made her panic so much she would always wet the bed from fear. Seeing them dead was her worse fear in the world and she was never so scared in her life until she had that horrible nightmare.

Luckily for her though it was easy to hide, being a witch it was much easier to clean up than it was without magic because a couple of spells cleaned the sheets and left them as good as new. She knew the spell from the odd times Ethel and Sybil had had an accident, they were kids it happened sometimes when they were younger. Their parents got so angry whenever it happened though so Esmerelda had told them not to tell them and had cleaned the sheets by magic before anyone could notice and now that spell was coming in useful. She was still always ashamed but she had read trauma could cause it to happen, even in adults, so she was not overly worried, she knew why it was happening she just didn't know how to stop it happening and there was no way she would ever ask for help for her problem. She could just imagine telling the teachers about this, it would never happen, it was a secret she was going to keep. She was sure it would stop happening once she was in regular contact with her sisters again and was not dreaming about seeing their dead bodies.

She would then spend the rest of the night crying. She honestly didn't know if Ethel and Sybil were okay anymore, was she dreaming about this because it had some truth to it? She had no-one that was confirming her sisters health so she didn't know if the dreams were true. All she knew was the nightmares were haunting her and with each once she became a little more panicked, knowing she still had ages until she got to speak to Ethel and Sybil again.

* * *

It felt like she had been lying down for an entirety when she heard the wake up call. The girl would jump up and put on her uniform, in a zombie like state, dead to the world. She just went through the motions now but felt like she wasn't really there.

"Have you spoken to your sisters recently?" Gretel asked as she laughed. It was breakfast time and Esmerelda was playing with her bowl of porridge, trying to force the disgusting paste like food down her throat without throwing up. Esmerelda rolled her eyes and ignored her.

"I asked you a question" she said as she walked over to Esmerelda and aggressively grabbed her arm.

"Get off me" Esmerelda complained, not in the mood for these stupid girls.

"Aww are you getting upset Hallow, are you going to cry?" Delilah said and Esmerelda tried to pull out of their grasp.

"What is going on here?" Miss Drill said appearing next to the girls. Delilah immediately let go of the girl.

"We were just talking Miss Drill" Delilah said as she smiled looking innocent. The woman looked at Esmerelda who was scowling, wishing she could disappear.

"Well then you can talk to each other in detention" she told the girls who looked at her shocked.

"What? Why?" Amy asked looking annoyed

"Because I am not stupid and I do not accept bullying behaviour" Miss Drill told them knowing exactly what was going on "I know what is going on here and I will not let it happen, so tonight, my office, I want you all for detention, don't be late" she told the girls.

After she had left, Delilah glared at Esmerelda and pushed her head forward, not caring if she was caught bullying again.

"You will pay for this" she told her before storming off. Esmerelda sighed wondering how this was her fault but said nothing.

Esmerelda knew things were not going to get better. How could they when everything was going wrong right now, she threw down her spoon and walked to the library, not wanting to have to hang around until her lesson before she noticed the calender.

"Two more weeks" Esmerelda whispered to herself. Just two weeks until she could speak to Ethel and Sybil again. Two more weeks until her nightmares stopped and she could start to get back to normal.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Back to posting! Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Ten

Esmerelda still had a while to go until her punishment was over and she was suffering so much, she still was waking up wet and having that horrible dream. She tried so hard to stop herself falling asleep, if she didn't fall asleep then her problem wouldn't happen.

It wasn't to difficult at first to keep herself at wake but as it started to near midnight the girl would just be exhausted and feel her eyes closing, she would try everything in her power to keep them open but it would ultimately fail and she would fall asleep, back into the depth of her darkest nightmares.

After the nightmare she would be to scared to get back to sleep so she only ended up sleeping two or three hours a night which meant the girl was exhausted, she knew it would start to show in the quality of her work and things but it wasn't her fault. She couldn't sleep anymore.

To top things off things were only getting worse for the young blonde. The threat from the group of bullies in her year had turned into a reality. They were getting more sly and cruel in their taunts of the girl, and things had gotten more physical. They would shove into her in corridors and pinch her in class.

Despite this things were getting better overall with the rest of the students because frankly the other girls had just lost interest in her. They weren't surprised anymore by her grades or the compliments she received and most people ignored her completely, except for Gladys, Amy, Millicent and Delilah.

Miss Drill had kept them for hours at the detention and lectured them about how they would be having a lot more if she ever found them bullying Esmerelda, or any other pupil again. They had played the guilty card and told her they had learned their lesson, only as soon as they were free they went back to tormenting the blonde girl, although they were smart bought to be more careful now they knew Miss Drill was on to them.

Esmerelda had to give them credit though. The girls were smarter than she thought, they saw that she was vulnerable because she was missing her sisters and were using that to their advantage to get to her. Esmerelda though was still not to bothered, she tried not to have much to do with them and keep her head down, she was just glad the rest of the school was not bothered about her anymore, she was left alone, which was just the way she liked it. Only she wasn't to know that she would once again be the talk of the school for the wrong reasons.

* * *

Esmerelda dressed into her pyjamas as soon as her lessons finished because she was not planning on leaving her room again and she wanted to be comfortable as she had some studying to do. As soon as she sat down at her desk she covered her mouth in a yawn, exhausted from her lack of sleep but she had to finish this homework tonight or she would fall behind.

It was hard to stay awake but she kept her eyes open long enough to finish her essay. She read through it twice to make sure it made sense and was a good quality piece, anywise Miss Hardbroom would just make her do it again. Once she was happy with it, she put it in the drawer on her desk so she knew where it was and looked at the time.

Midnight.

The girl had been working for hours and was utterly exhausted. She didn't want to go to sleep because she knew that horrible nightmare was waiting for her but she wasn't stupid either, she knew it would be utterly impossible to stay awake so admitting defeat she walked out her room to use the toilet before returning to go to sleep. She hopped into bed and as soon as her head touched the pillow she was out like a light.

She slept soundly for a while until the nightmare kicked in. It was not going to give the girl a break and it went the same way as always. Esmerelda miserable at home and then returning home after the summer holidays only to find the horrific sight of her sisters' bodies because of the neglect they received.

The girl tossed and turned as the nightmare played out trying to make the horrible images disappear from her head. She cried out for her sisters and tears streamed down her face as she flailed around.

As the end of the dream played out and she came across her sisters in the bedroom normally the girl would wake up screaming and struggling to catch for breath just after the bed had being soaked but today she felt herself coming out of her nightmare earlier than normal because she could feel someone prodding her and pulling her. She started to wake up just as her sister's faces came into view, feeling herself being pulled away from dreamland and back into reality.

She woke up screaming loudly at the dream, her ears ringing and unable to see. She could hear distant laughter but had no idea what it was. She couldn't see, her eyes were open but she couldn't see anything, it was as if she had all of a sudden gone blind because her eyes would not focus.

As she was still in a dream like state she felt herself start to urinate which was not surprising because it always happened when she had that nightmare, normally though she was sound asleep when it happened but she couldn't of stopped it this time even if she wanted too, she couldn't move she felt like she was in a zombie like state so she couldn't do anything as she soaked her sheets.

* * *

"HALLOW" she suddenly heard someone say as she came back to reality properly, her hearing was coming back slowly and so was her eyesight and suddenly she was back in her bedroom at Cackles, wide awake, drenched in sweat and soaked through. It was only as her eyes started to focus she realised she was not alone.

She looked around and at first saw her window was opened, she could have sworn she had closed it but she shifted her gaze and suddenly saw Gretel, Wendy, Delilah and Millicent all stood around her just watching her. She looked at them confused, wondering why on earth they were in her bedroom whilst she was sleeping.

"What is going on?" Esmerelda asked confused and shocked.

"We just thought we would pay you a late night visit" Gretel told her and Esmerelda looked at her amazed and then worried.

The last thing she wanted was to be surrounded by the girls who bullied her whilst she was soaked through, luckily she had the covers on so they couldn't see that but she was still worried and tried to act normal so they would not catch on that something was wrong.

"What were you dreaming about? You were screaming for your mummy!" Wendy said as she laughed in the blonde's face. Esmerelda though knew that was a lie, she would of being screaming for her sisters not her mother, so she knew they were just making things up.

"I was not screaming for my mum" Esmerelda replied annoyed.

"You didn't answer the question what were you dreaming about? Failing a test?"Millicent replied and her group of friends laughed with her.

"Why would I dream about that?" Esmerelda asked confused.

"Because it is the thing you dread the most isn't it teacher's pet?" Gretel said as she stepped forward to pinch the girl.

"OWW" Esmerelda said rubbing her arm from the injury.

"You are so pathetic Hallow" Delilah said as she laughed but the bully didn't laugh as she looked over at Gretel who looked confused.

"What is wrong with you?" the girl asked her friend who seemed to be looking around curiously.

"Why does it smell like pee?" the girl asked and Esmerelda pulled her covers up higher, hoping they didn't realise it was coming from her direction.

"I don't know" Wendy said as she twitched her nose as the smell suddenly hit her too. She looked over at Esmerelda who was fiddling with her covers and the rest of her friends followed her gaze, seeming to realise where she was looking.

Esmerelda was not paying attention and trying to avoid the girls gazes when she suddenly felt someone pull her covers off and saw the girls just staring at the wet spot that was on the sheets.

"Eww gross" Delilah said looking disgusted.

"That is super disgusting" Micellent said grossed out.

"Do you know know what a toilet is?" Wendy asked shaking her head but Gretel looked thrilled about it rather than disgusted.

"Well Hallow you will be the talk of the school once everyone finds out you still wet the bed" the girl said smirking evilly.

"No don't..." Esmerelda said knowing if that got around she would never live it down or be able to go outside of her bedroom again.

The four girls looked at each other and laughed before they walked towards the door.

"EVERYONE ESMERELDA HALLOW IS A BED WETTER" She heard Gretel shout out towards the direction of the other bedrooms.

Esmerelda lifted her covers on the floor and cast a quick spell towards her door locking it, before she threw the covers over her head, hiding from the world and crying softly to herself. She was never planning on never going outside again.


	11. Chapter 11

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

Chapter Eleven

Esmerelda was fuming with anger. She had not felt this angry in a long time, and she had never felt this angry towards anyone before but this time it had gone to far.

It all started after Gretel had told everyone about Esmerelda's night-time problem. She was to ashamed to show her face so she put the covers over her head to block everything out and Esmerelda, who had not being sleeping well ended up falling back asleep.

She wasn't sure what changed, whether it was because it was the morning or she had already had the nightmare for that day but this time it didn't occur. She woke up and looked around confused as it was still bright outside, looking at the time she saw it was mid-day so she had been asleep for a good four hours.

She smiled to herself, happy she had been able to sleep without that horrible nightmare occurring and stretched her arms. All the girls would be at lunch now so she might try going to the bathroom to clean her face a bit as she knew she would look awful right now.

It was in that moment she felt a funny feeling. She had not needed the toilet a second ago but all of a sudden out of nowhere she was positively bursting, as she was wide awake and in control of her body she knew this time she could go to the toilet but when she tried to move she couldn't.

She tried moving her legs to get out of bed but they wouldn't move, the girl became terrified, thinking in that moment she had somehow become paralysed. She didn't even care this time when she wet herself, she was more concerned with the fact her limbs wouldn't work.

But then as soon as she had relived herself, feeling came back in her legs and she was able to move like normal. She hopped out of bed looking at her wet sheets, confused. Why had she being unable to leave until she had already weed, why had she all of a sudden out of nowhere, felt such an urge to use the toilet, that wasn't normal, it didn't normally come on so quickly.

The blonde did a spell, cleaning herself up and her sheets before she walked over to her bookshelf and started running her fingers along the spines of the books, knowing exactly what she was looking for.

"There it is" she said to herself after a few minutes finding a book about curse spells. She had brought this book to school with her as more of a defence mechanism than to actually use any because it also told you how to stop the spell from being effective, she flicked through the pages, wondering if her suspicious were correct.

About half-way through the book she stopped on a page and gasped. She knew it. There was nothing wrong with her bladder, she was not wetting herself because of the horrible nightmares, she was under the effects of a curse spell.

 _Bed-wetting spell_

 _Make your enemy wet the bed each time they fall asleep_

 _Even if they wake up they will not be able to move_

 _until they are soaked through._

It was listed under a section for kids pranks, as it was mainly harmless compared to other curses even if it was embarrassing, The girl smiled as she saw the spell that reserved it.

"Control my bladder lift this spell, let this curse on me be undone" Esmerelda said as she saw a pink light surround her for a few seconds. She beamed. Her problems were over, well until she went to sleep again she couldn't be sure but she suspected they were, but her smile soon dropped as her anger kicked in.

Who on earth would do that? Why would they want to curse her like that and then it hit her quickly. The way Gretel and the others had just appeared as if they were waiting for it to happen, the way they just happened to realise it was coming from her and had not seemed to shocked. Now it made sense, they had had the blonde under the spell for weeks and were waiting for the right time to prance. Esmerelda flicked through the pages of the book and came across a certain page and smirked. It was time for revenge.

* * *

After she decided on her plan it was all stations go. She left her bedroom, no longer afraid of being made fun of but it didn't take long for that to happen as soon as she left her bedroom a third year appeared and laughed.

"Hallow were you toilet trained?" she asked her with a smirk.

If this had being earlier Esmerelda would of probably burst into tears at that but right now it didn't hit her, she didn't care because she was not going to be the talk of the school for long and pretty soon everyone will be forgetting she wet the bed.

She made her way down to the great Hall, hoping she was not to late to catch everyone still eating, but she still had ten minutes so most people should still be there as most people stayed talking right up to the bell. As soon as she walked in she heard jeers and insults but she couldn't care less.

She had played some silly pranks before but she had never felt such excitement and such warmth when she was about to do one before, she didn't know if the idea of revenge was just to thrilling because of who it was aimed towards, all she knew was she could barely contain her excitement. Ethel would be proud of how much her sister was enjoying the thought of misbehaving.

She saw the group of bullies smirk at her and she pretended to look sad as she sat at a table across from them, tricking them and ignoring the girls who where sat at the table she had joined and their insults. She concentrated and cast a spell under the table, towards the bullies. She made sure that she was aiming right knowing this was one spell she had to make sure was aimed right, she wasn't exactly happy with any of the other girls who had laughed at her but they didn't deserve what Esmerelda was about to do for following their peers, only the gang of bullies did.

All four girls lifted their spoons to eat some more of their soup when Millicent suddenly stopped and lowered her spoon. Touching her stomach. Her friends looked at her curiously when they all suddenly stopped too.

"I feel funny" Wendy said touching her stomach

Gretel didn't say anything but jumped up as if she had being electrocuted. Esmerelda laughed to herself then. She had forgotten that the girls would be in their PE kits for next lesson, her revenge was going to be even better than she hoped.

"Move I need to get through" Gretel said as she tried to push a girl who was sitting at the edge of a table and blocking her exit out of her way, her face turning worried.

"Walk around" the girl said rolling her eyes.

"Oh I need the toilet" Delilah said looking like she was barely able to wait as she hopped from foot to foot.

Esmerelda looked down, not wanting to laugh yet or she would miss the show and that would be the best part. She had to see her plan work.

Gretel looked to be in the same situation as Deliah as she shoved the girl sitting down out the way and started running for the exit.

"I don't think I will make it" Wendy said as all four girls rushed forward, wanting to get to the toilet as quick as possible. All of a sudden in need of relieving themselves.

Esmerelda saw them heading for the door and was worried they would get their in time and her plan would of failed so went to stand in front of it blocking their exit and only making the situation more desperate for the girls.

"MOVE HALLOW" Millicent said struggling not to mess herself there and then.

"Careful now, don't get to angry, you might make things worse for yourselves" Esmerelda told them with a smirk as it happened. She looked down at a strange noise and saw a lot of the pupils look down curiously too, having turned to see what was going on with the first years.

* * *

Diarrhoea ran down all four girls bare legs as their bowels finally gave way whether they wanted them to or not at the same time a stream of piss appeared as they wet themselves. Everyone just stared at the four girls as they messed from both ends until they were left standing in a puddle of their own wee.

Everyone seemed to shocked to move as they just looked at the girls standing in their own wee with poo all down their legs.

"Who doesn't know how to use a toilet now?" someone suddenly said and then slowly people started to giggle until everyone in the hall was laughing at the girls who hadn't made it to the toilet.

"Hey want to borrow one of my baby brothers nappies?" another girl said as everyone laughed more. Esmerelda joined in, happy that her prank had gone so well. She had thought that they would be in uniform so it would be hard to notice their mess but it couldn't be more clear if they tried.

The four girls looked horrified and to shocked to move until Miss Hardbroom appeared and saw the state of the four first years. She didn't though look sympathetic as she knew this must mean they were under a spell as it had happened to all four of them. However, the girls were popular and she couldn't see anyone wanting to do this, it was also a hard spell to get right and the girls had being messing that morning with potions and spells in her lessons, some quite dangerous and she had had to tell them off, because of this she thought one of their spells had gone wrong and they had caused it themselves.

"This is why we don't mess with spells girls, go clean up and then report to Miss Cackles office immediately" she told them as the girls slowly walked off, being careful to step around the patches

of wee. HB cleaned them with a flick of her hand then turned to the girls who were still laughing so much. One girl was laughing so much she was in danger of wetting herself too as she was lying on the floor clutching her stomach.

"Show is over get to lessons" she told them and Esmerelda got up unable to wipe the smile of her face. Yes she had wet the bed and everyone had been told but no-one had actually seen her do it but the bullies had messed in front of the whole school, give or take a few students who weren't there. She had being trying to decide whether to just make them wee themselves or poo themselves but she had decided on both, that was what they deserved for making her life hell since she had started here, they had made her bad side show and she was not going to go easy on them.

"Maybe I should get them a potty" Esmerelda heard a girl say as she walked to get ready for PE. She knew she should probably feel a little bad but the girls had asked for it, they had being vile on purpose and she might be sweet but she was a Hallow, it was in her veins to get excited about revenge. Knowing she was old news, she walked to her lesson smiling, all around her hearing talk about what had happened in the hall.


	12. Chapter 12

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Chapter Twelve

Esmerelda was so thrilled that her plan had worked that she was still on a high even as she got changed and made her way downstairs for PE, she couldn't even bring herself to moan like the others as Miss Drill said they were doing cross country. Gretel and the others were not in the lesson so clearly they were still with Miss Cackle, Esmerelda thought to herself as she stretched with Miss Drill's lead. But her smile dropped as she saw Miss Hardbroom walk over, she had a bad feeling as soon as she saw the strict woman.

"Esmerelda, Miss Cackle wants to see you" Miss Drill said and Esmie smiled slightly trying not to look worried, she knew the girls would of figured out it was her but she had no time to think of an excuse as HB was transferring them to the office.

"Ahh Esmerelda" Miss Cackle said looking annoyed. Esmerelda knew to get out of this she had to act dumb.

"Why did you want to see me Miss?" Esmerelda asked pulling an expression she hoped looked confused.

"About what happened at lunchtime with Gretel, Millicent, Delilah and Wendy" Miss Cackle said. Esmerelda looked over then and saw the girls were back in their uniforms sitting in a corner of the room, looking embarrassed, angry and annoyed.

"I don't understand Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said turning back to look at the short haired woman.

"The four girls said you put a spell on them and I want to know the truth, did you do anything to them?" Miss Cackle asked lookng at the girl angrily.

Esmerelda was an awful liar. She might be a Hallow but she was so bad at it, Ethel was brilliant at it and she cursed herself for not asking her to teach her a few tricks, luckily though it was Miss Cackle she would be lying to and she couldn't get someone more gullible if she tried.

"What no!" Esmerelda replied changing her expression to shocked and angry.

"STOP LYING" Millicent shouted and Esmerelda turned to look at them, trying to refrain from laughing about what she had done.

"Why would I do something like that?" Esmerelda asked turning back to look at her teachers.

"Well we have had both you and Gretel in here for fighting, you are not keen on each other" Miss Hardbroom replied not sure what to believe.

"That was ages ago" Esmerelda replied "Plus it is three days until my punishment is up, you know how much I have wanted to mirror my sisters over this month, why would I decide now to do something to ruin that?" Esmerelda asked.

She saw the teachers look at each other and knew she was making them believe her, yes just a little longer and she would be home free. If she was found out again she might never be able to talk to Ethel and Sybil again, she had to make sure that didn't happen.

* * *

"You four, do you have any actual evidence Esmerelda did anything to you?" Miss Cackle asked just wanting to find out the truth so she had to get all sides of the story.

"Yes, she came into the hall a few minutes before it happened" Wendy replied as if that was evidence that she had done something.

"I am afraid we can't say that proves anything, people walk in and out of the hall all the time, did you actually see her casting a spell at you?" Miss Cackle then asked.

"No...but she made it happen...she blocked our exit!" Delilah said glaring at the blonde girl long and hard.

"I didn't mean to" Esmerelda replied "I happened to be walking out at the same time as them and because only one of the door's was open they couldn't get out" Esmerelda replied thinking of an excuse to explain that.

"She is lying!" I want something done!" Gretel said looking at Esmie like she wanted to kill her.

"Calm yourself Gretel" Miss Cackle said and the girl fell silent before the woman kept talking "The prank that was pulled was cruel, why on earth would Esmerelda do it?" Miss Cackle asked looking at the girls again for clarification.

"Because she obviously found out we used that curse on her to make her wet the bed!" Wendy said before covering her mouth as she realised what she had just said. Her friends touched their heads in debelief.

"You did what?" Miss Hardbroom said looking disgusted, Esmerelda was getting better at this and forced her eyes to become tearful as she looked at them.

"That was you!? I thought it was because I keep having that nightmare, I thought I had a problem" Esmerelda told them letting some tears fall, pretending she had no idea what they were talking about so Miss Cackle would not have a reason to think she did it.

"GIRLS" Ada shouted appalled and digested about that "Not only was the thing you did vile and cruel but clearly you have no pride in yourselves, you are witches you should be ashamed" Miss Cackle told them shaking her head.

"I expect this behaviour from five year olds but you are young ladies now, you should know not to use your magic in an evil way anymore, it is time you all grew up!" Miss Hardbroom shouted at the four girls.

"But Miss she.." Delilah tried to say but was interrupted

"NO" Miss Cackle shouted "I do not want to hear another word of you trying to defend your actions, I am ashamed to call any of you my pupils" Miss Cackle told them as Esmerelda wiped her eyes still playing along.

"At this school we want to teach witches, girls who know what it means to be a witch, not little children who play childish practical jokes, I will be writing to each of your family tonight and you will have detention every night for the next month" Miss Cackle told them dishing out a harsh punishment. She was so angry at them they were lucky it wasn't expulsion.

"But Miss!" Millicent said, not happy with the punishment.

"No buts, you are lucky that is all you are recieving, now I want you to apologise to Esmerelda" Miss Hardbroom told them.

"No way, after what she did to us!?" Gretel replied amazed.

"Unless you want to pack your things you will apologise this instant!" Miss Cackle told them frustrated.

The girls looked at each other, as much as they wanted to say they didn't care they did. Their parents would kill them if they got expelled from Cackles so they knew they had to apologise.

"Sorry" the girls all said one at a time sounding like they wanted to say anything but that word and they didn't mean it. Neither teacher seemed to pick up on that though.

"Good, I don't want any of you four in here again, I will not accept bullying or pranks in my school, do I make myself clear?" Miss Cackle asked.

"Yes Miss Cackle" they chimed

"Good, now leave and get to class" Miss Cackle told them flicking her hand and opening the door.

"But everyone will laugh at us!" Wendy told her as she looked at the door in a terrified way, knowing everyone will mock them for messing themselves.

"Then next time don't make enemies by playing silly pranks and maybe then you wouldn't get cursed, now go" Miss Cackle told them and the four girls walked quietly out the room. Once they were gone the woman softened her tone and turned to her head of year.

* * *

"Esmerelda, I am sorry I had no idea" the woman said making Esmerelda feel bad now as she was acting sympathetic.

"It is okay Miss Cackle, I am just relieved it was a prank" Esmerelda admitted.

"Well I will do the counter spell and it won't happen again" she told her as she cast a spell at Esmie. Obviously Esmerelda had done it already but it wouldn't hurt if someone did it again. It wouldn't all of a sudden make her cursed again, that was not how magic worked.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said as she smiled

"Esmerelda if you ever need to talk about anything, my door is open" she told the girl who nodded but somehow she thought the woman would forget that promise. She walked to the door HB had opened before thanking them again and leaving.

She laughed once she was outside, she had got away with it and hopefully the gang of bullies had learned she didn't like being messed with. She knew the prank had been extreme but hopefully they had learned to leave her alone. Only time would tell.


	13. Chapter 13

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Chapter Thirteen

Esmerelda woke up to sunlight shining through her window and yawned before sitting up. It was only seven so she did not have to be up for a while yet but she was soon awake when she realised something.

She remembered she had had that nightmare last night. Clearly, the curse she had been under had not caused that nightmare and that was in her own mind but she had not had an accident like she normally did and was soon back asleep, having being exhausted. Right now as she sat on her bed all she felt was dryness. For the first time she had not had an accident whilst sleeping and she beamed, it really had only being that stupid prank.

She got out of bed, feeling in such high spirits, it was now just two days until she could speak to her beloved sisters one again. She left her bedroom to use the bathroom, glad as the morning rush was not present yet and then went to get dressed, everything seemed to be looking up.

Esmerelda was not sure what would happen with Gretel, Delilah, Wendy and Millicent because even though she had embarrassed them she was not sure it would stop them, even if they now knew what she was capable off. As she walked down the stairs to head to the hall for breakfast she saw the group of girls ahead of her talking but they stopped when a third year walked up to them and said something, clearly mocking them. Esmerelda did not say anything, not wanting to get in an argument with them and in turn they said nothing to her. Maybe they had really changed, Esmerelda thought as she walked off.

* * *

For the first time since she had started at Cackles, the group of girls did nothing, or said nothing to her. She went through a whole day without being bullied and settled down for the night feeling much better about Cackles than she ever had before. Yes she missed her sisters liked mad and she knew that feeling would never go away, even if people tried to make it but school was not as tortuousness for the girl now, she was getting used to it.

A few more days went by and Esmerelda was honestly feeling much better. Miss Hardbroom was still really annoying, basically falling to her knees whenever she saw her star pupil but Esmerelda had learned to ignore her, she wasn't getting good grades to impress HB that was for sure. People seemed to come to the same conclusion because they were less harsh on her. That was what Esmerelda suspected anyway as the other students in her class had stopped glaring as soon as HB complimented their blonde classmate, clearly pass caring themselves.

The gang of girls were still staying well away from Esmie, she wasn't sure if they were scared of her or just didn't want to be embarrassed again, Esmerelda didn't really care though as they were getting their just desserts.

The girls had always being popular, the type of students that if they told someone to laugh at someone else they did it even if they didn't think it was right because the girls were thought highly off. They had never had problems socially, always seen talking to other pupils but after what had happened in the lunch hall the girls were having a hard time. Good. Esmerelda thought to herself. Maybe they knew what it felt like now.

She would see girls laughing and pointing at them as they walked down the corridor and she at times saw other girls blocking the toilets when the girls tried to go in, at one point she even saw someone cast a spell on them that vanished their stockings and left them standing in pull up nappies. The girls ran off when that happened to get changed as people laughed. Esmerelda was shocked she had to admit. She had always heard teenage girls could be vicious and nasty but until she started at school she never really knew just how much that was true. She knew she was not much better for what she had done to them but that was payback for making her life sheer hell, they had to learn, but she had not mentioned it again and was not going to unless the group decided to start on her again but right now they seemed to be keeping away.

These were the thoughts running through Esmerelda's mind as she walked onto the school grounds that afternoon. It was time for another flying lesson. First years had flying lessons for the entire first year, trying to perfect their skills and make them better fliers. Some girls in her year still struggled and Esmerelda didn't blame them, flying was hard, she was only so good because of all that practise in flying club. She didn't mind though having to have an extra lesson because she really enjoyed flying.

* * *

"Mount your broomsticks girls" Miss Drill told her students as they raised their broomsticks, some with difficultly. They had to wait for some of the girls to get theirs in the air before they were allowed to sit on the broomsticks and take off.

"Right girls, today I want you all to fly individually" Miss Drill said knowing some girls flew in groups but that made it hard for her to watch them "I am going to be accessing how you are all doing so I can help you improve any problems, take of gently now and fly the usual course" she told the girls. The usual course being around the back of the school and back to the fields. A short course easy enough for the first years to practise.

There was a number of girls in front of Esmerelda. The first girl, Bella, took of fine, maybe a bit wobbly but she got in the air okay. The second pupil was a girl named Amanda, which took of very well, but Esmerelda knew she attended flying club as well so she had some practise in. Next up was Luna. Luna still had a lot of problems flying so after she tried to take of but nearly fell off, Miss Drill walked over to talk her through it again and she managed to get in the air unharmed. Then Celeste was next. She was another girl from flying club so she was in the air within a few seconds, balancing perfectly. Niamh was the last person in front of Esmerelda and she was clearly the worst flyer in her year. Her problem was not lack of confidence though, it was the fact she had to much confidence. The girl stupidly tried to take of flying at about forty miles per hour, which Esmerelda knew was just plain stupid, you were supposed to take off slowly then gradually gain speed, much like you do when driving a car. Niamh though decided it was better to take off at full speed and all that ended up happening was she was thrown of the broomstick by the sudden pressure of speed, rolled over and landed on her back on the ground, yes she was barely an inch of the ground but it still made her look ridiculous and Esmerelda could hear a few of the pupils sniggering but she didn't join in.

"Niamh how many times do I have to tell you NOT to do that!" Miss Drill shouted. She had to tell the girl the same thing nearly every lesson as the same thing always happened. The dark skinned woman wondered why she kept doing it, trying to show off just made her look stupid and slow to pick things up. Niamh stood up and scowled angrily, clearly wanting to learn how to fly the way she wanted to.

"Don't scowl Niamh, now take of at a normal speed like everyone else, you are not bionic woman" Miss Drill told her. The girl sighed but took of slowly into the sky, getting up this time without any problem, and speeding up as soon as she was straight, Esmerelda rolled her eyes wondering why she always wanted to fly so fast in the first place. No one was even impressed.

"Right Esmerelda you are next" Miss Drill told her

Esmerelda smiled happily. Finally, she felt like she had been waiting for hours for her turn and flying honestly was one of her favourite things to do now.

The blonde girl took of flying, feeling the air pressure that was similar to taking of in an aeroplane, some people hated the feeling but Esmerelda loved it and in a matter of seconds it lifted and she was soaring through the air.

She loved the feeling of it. Miss Drill was right there was something magical about flying in the air that gave you a feeling like no other. Esmerelda often blocked everyone else around her out and entered a world of her own whilst flying and today was not different.

* * *

She knew her classmates were flying around her but she didn't notice them as she flew around, enjoying the relaxing feeling she got. Flying was wonderful and she was so privileged she had gotten to try it and do it regularly.

Esmerelda would later wish she was paying attention because she was so lost in her own thoughts she didn't notice who was flying towards her. She could hear distant shouting but much like it happens when you are in a world of your own she couldn't understand what was being said as she was distracted.

The girl hummed to herself unconcerned as she flew slowly along until suddenly she came back to reality in shock. She could feel someone tugging on her.

She saw Miss Drill suddenly appear in the sky, flying towards her. This was strange to Esmie, she didn't normally come up unless there was a problem and that was why Esmerelda turned around to see what was going on and was met fact to face with the bully's she had cursed a few days before. All of them were glaring at her as they hovered on their broomsticks, surrounding her in a circle Before she could even open her mouth to speak, or indeed have a chance to escape she felt someone push her and then she wasn't on her broomstick anymore and was falling.

The young girl screamed as she fell, knowing how high up she was and scared she was falling to her death. In reality she could only have being falling for about a minute but it felt like hours and she kept screaming until she fell smack down in the middle of a mattress. She looked around shocked, and looked up to see Miss Drill landing. Clearly the teacher had cushioned her landing when she saw her falling.

"ALL OF YOU COME DOWN NOW" She shouted as pupils started to fly downwards and Esmerelda stood up still shaking from shock. She looked up into the sky and realised how lucky she was to be alive.


	14. Chapter 14

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Chapter Fourteen

Esmerelda only realised once she got over her shock the pain in her arm. It was very true that she had landed on a soft surface, thanks to Miss Drill's quick thinking, but she had landed on top of her arm in a funny way. She hissed and held it as Miss Drill yelled at Delilah, Millicent, Wendy and Gretel, rushing all the students inside to saying the lesson was over, once she had send the students inside and had taken the girls to Miss Cackles office, she came back to find Esmerelda who was still clutching her arm.

"Esmerelda, are you alright?" Miss Drill asked touching the girl on the back in a worried way, not noticing the way she was holding her arm in her panic.

"Yes mainly, but I think I have done something to my arm" Esmerelda told the woman as she hissed, trying to refrain from letting herself cry. It really hurt but she knew she had to be strong and brave.

"Come on let's get you to the nurse" Miss Drill said leading the girl down the corridor to get her medical help.

"Miss...what is going to happen to them?" Esmerelda asked, afraid now after what they had done to her, she knew now they would stop at nothing.

"Miss Cackle will decide that, try not to worry" Miss Drill told her as she led her into the hospital wing.

* * *

The nurse looked at Esmerelda's arm and did some tests to determine why it was painful. It didn't necessarily mean it was broken, it could have been sprained or fractured but when she came back she told Esmerelda it was indeed broken but it was nothing to worry about as it was easy enough to heal.

"AHH" Esmerelda screamed out as the nurse cast a spell and she felt her broken bone snap back into place, she honestly felt the healing was worse than the bone breaking, that had really hurt. She blinked back tears in her eyes from the pain that went through her body.

"Sorry sorry" the nurse said not liking the girl to be in pain "It can't be helped" the woman told her as she kept working on her arm.

Even though Esmerelda was a witch and lived in the magical world so she did not have to go through the whole process of having a cast on her arm for six weeks and the nurse had just healed it, the bone was still weak. It was now at the stage it was when the bone was healed but it was fragile. She therefore put a bandage on the girl's arm and a sling to keep her arm straight and have the bone heal. She would have to have it on for around a week and then she would be home free.

"Lucky it isn't my writing hand" Esmerelda joked trying to make light of the situation. Miss Drill and the nurse exchanged glances, looking at each other seriously. It wasn't time for jokes, not with the way Esmerelda had ended up in this situation.

* * *

After she was slinged up and ready the nurse gave the girl a small bottle of potion, she told her that it would help with any pain she might have as the bone became strong again. Esmie smiled and thanked her before she left and she was immediately taken to Miss Cackle's office. Miss Cackle wanted to hear from her and Miss Drill exactly what had happened because Miss Drill had had to rush of to check on Esmerelda before and hadn't had a chance to tell her what she had seen.

"Miss Drill, please explain exactly what happened" Miss Cackle asked looking more grave than Esmerelda had ever seen the woman look before.

"I was overseeing flying class and I noticed that the four girls were flying towards Esmerelda, she didn't notice because she appeared to be daydreaming. I didn't like the way they were flying towards her and I knew they had all had trouble with each other in the past so I decided it would be safest to fly up to stop the situation. As I was getting close to the girls I saw them push Esmerelda of her broomstick. Luckily, I realised and managed to cast a spell to break her fall, she still injured herself as you can see she has a broken arm, but she properly would have been killed so she got of lucky" Miss Drill explained talking professionally as she explained what had happened and why she had gone to help the situation.

"Miss Drill did you see who exactly it was who pushed Esmerelda?" Miss Cackle asked wondering who it was who had done the deed itself. There was after all four girls.

"No sorry Ada, I didn't happen to see because I was worried about breaking up the situation" Miss Drill explained wishing she had seen. Miss Cackle nodded, satisfied.

"Thank you Miss Drill" Ada said before turning to the girls

"In all my time at this school I have never, playing silly pranks and spreading rumours is one thing but pushing a student of their broomstick, that is a whole other level" Ada said annoyed. "You are lucky Esmerelda was not killed, I don't think any of you understand how serious this is" Ada told them glaring at them.

"She is lying miss" Wendy said looking at Miss Drill "She doesn't like us so she is making it up, Esmerelda clearly lost her balance and fell" Wendy said, trying to get out of trouble. Miss Cackle decided to play along.

"All right Miss Hardbroom, can you bring some of the first years to me please?" the woman said as Miss Drill looked at her hurt and confused that she believed the pupils, but when she saw the bespectacled woman smile at her out of the corner of her mouth and she realised she was just playing along with the girls games.

Miss Hardbroom returned with four other first years. The girls all looked a bit on edge, clearly scared of being in the office, and from what they had witnessed.

"Girls I just want to know if any of you saw what happened to Miss Hallow, did any of you see her be pushed?" Miss Cackle asked.

The first girl shook her head and so did the second, once they had locked eyes with the four accused girls, clearly fearing them after what they had seen. The third girl though didn't look at them and nodded.

"I saw them push her, they all did it together and helped each other" the third girl said. Miss Cackle looked at her and wondered if the girl had any reason to lie, as far as she was aware she was not friendly with the four girls and she was not their enemy, she was just neutral towards her.

"Thank you Lily" Miss Cackle said before asking the first years Miss Hardbroom had brought to leave, she had got the information she needed, she then tuned to the four accused girls who looked horrified after what Lily had said. Esmerelda did not know Lily to well but she promised herself to thank her later.

"Pushing a student of their broomstick, accusing a teacher of lying about it to get you in trouble, scaring pupils into keeping quiet, don't think I didn't see the look you gave them just then" Miss Cackle said to them. She had seen the way the girls had glared at the other ones Miss Hardbroom had brought and how they had being to scared to speak.

"It is clear to me now that I can't have you four in my school anymore, you are a danger to my pupils lives, please go upstairs all of you and pack your things, you are expelled from my school" the woman told them, giving out the hardest punishment she could. She knew some people said she was to soft but this case was different, Esmerelda would very likely be dead now If Miss Drill had not sensed trouble. She couldn't have pupils like that in her school.

"What? You can't expel us!" Gretel replied horrified

"Gretel you are lucky I am not contacting the Great Wizard about this, but I will do if you continue to disobey me, now you have half an hour to pack your things and then I want you gone, I will use that time to inform your parents" Miss Cackle said.

The four girls looked at each other but still did not seem able to accept their headteacher's decision.

"Miss Cackle...Esmerelda has being bullying us we had to do something" Delilah said trying to turn this back to the blonde.

"Miss Cackle, I caught the four girls bullying Esmerelda in the lunch hall a week ago, which is why I gave them detention, I think it is Esmerelda who has been the victim here" Miss Drill said wishing the girls would just give up and realise they had lost.

"And I have reports from other people which say the same thing, I know what has being happening here" Miss Cackle said. She saw Gretel make to open her mouth in response but HB beat her to it.

"You girls have two minutes to leave to go and start packing or we will contact the Great Wizard" she told the girls just wishing they would go.

"My mum is on the council" Millicent replied as if it made a difference.

"Exactly, so I am sure she will be highly disappointed, now leave I won't tell you again!" Miss Cackle said.

Finally the girls realised they had lost and it was hopeless, they stood up and left to go and pack as Miss Cackle turned to Esmerelda.

"I am sorry about this Esmerelda, I need to inform the girls parents but we can talk things though properly later" she told the blonde.

Esmerelda nodded and turned to Miss Drill.

"Thank you Miss, for rescuing me" she told her with a smile before she left herself. She doubted Miss Cackle would remember to talk to her but it didn't really matter, finally the bullies were leaving and couldn't torment her anymore and as she caught sight of the time she smiled. It was mirroring time and her punishment was now over. Her punishment had ended today but with all the stuff in the last few hours that had happened she had forgotten.

She ran to the mirror room, knowing she could speak to her sisters finally, beaming despite the pain in her arm. She was finally going to see Ethel and Sybil.


	15. Chapter 15

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* * *

 **Chapter Fifteen**

Esmerelda rushed into the mirror room and sat down before holding up a card with her sisters names on it. The mirror then stopped being transparent and the scene changed to one of the two younger blondes. They were sat in Sybil's room playing a card game and looking quite bored. Esmerelda felt her heart beat with happiness as she saw they were okay.

"Ethie, Sybie!" she said feeling like it had been years since she had last spoken to them and shouting their names so happily.

The girls turned and seeing Esmie jumped up happily, rushing over to talk to their big sister.

"ESMIE" they both said beaming. They had missed speaking to her so much.

"I am sorry it has been so long, I tried to change my punishment but Miss Cackle wouldn't have it, I missed you two so much!" Esmerelda told them wishing she could walk through the mirror and take them into her arms to hug them.

"We missed you too..." Ethel said before she stopped "What happened to your arm?" she asked noticing the sling on her sister's arm. Esmerelda sighed, she should have known they would realise.

Esmerelda looked down. She didn't want them to know the truth, she didn't want them to know how bad things had been for her.

"Esmie? What happened?" Sybil asked looking close to tears as she saw her sister was injured. Esmerelda knew it was now time to say the truth, no matter how hard it was for her, or what their reactions would be. She couldn't lie to them anymore.

* * *

She therefore told them everything. About how all the students had hated her for all the attention HB gave her, how she and Gretel had had a fight with one another over the picture which is what she had gotten the punishment for, and then the curse they put on her, causing her to wet the bed so the revenge Esmerelda had used on them and then how they had pushed her of her broomstick and she had nearly fallen to her death but Miss Drill had saved her life, but she was still left with a broken arm.

Ethel and Sybil looked at her shocked as she finished talking. They had had no idea things had gotten that bad. Sybil started crying and Ethel's lip trembled but Esmerelda quickly kept talking.

"They have being expelled it doesn't matter anymore, I am okay, my arm will heal quickly" Esmerelda told them trying to reassure them but this just made Ethel start to cry.

"Please don't cry, it is okay" Esmerelda told them, hating to see her darling little sisters crying at her expense. It broke her heart seeing them so upset.

"How is it okay when you have had such a bad time and no-one did anything?" Sybil said covering her face as she kept crying.

"Miss Drill tried but the girls just didn't want to give up. They lost anyway, I am not the one who has to leave the school, they are" Esmerelda told them, wishing she had made something up now she saw their reaction.

"I thought you loved Cackles, I didn't realise you were having such a hard time!" Ethel sobbed as she felt guilty for not realising. She knew she hadn't spoken to her in a month but she should have being more attentive, she told herself.

"Cackles is okay" Esmerelda told her sisters "But you are right I wish I could come back home to you two, I hate being away from you and everyone at the school is so harsh" Esmerelda told them as she saw them cry more.

"But I will be okay, things are not great but they are starting to get a bit better, I am starting to get more used to it here" Esmerelda told them with a shrug.

"I don't want you to suffer" Sybil said, crying more at the thought.

"I am not, as long as I can talk to you two I will be fine" she said deciding to change the subject to try and cheer them up a little. "How are things with you two?" Esmerelda asked wondering what home-life was like. Ethel sighed.

"Boring" she replied "Mum and dad are never here and without you here there is nothing to do" Ethel replied as she became a little less teary.

"Yes, we can't think of games as well as you can" Sybil replied as she looked at her sister.

"Oh well when I come home I will make one up" Esmerelda told them with a smile.

Always left alone, Esmerelda made up games for her and her sisters to play or told them stories to keep them entertained, some days were easier than others if they were allowed to play outside but others were hard to keep them interested, but she always tried. Children had such a long attention span, but they enjoyed the creative things Esmie came up with.

"Oh yes I miss your make believe games" Ethel admitted. She had tried to make some herself but they were never as good as Esmerelda's ideas and they got bored much more easily, although that could be for the fact they just missed their sister and were to sad to play.

"I miss making them up, but I will think of some when I see you" Esmerelda told them before stopping to fix a strand of her hair which was hanging in her face and moving it out of the way "How are you both health wise, they haven't tried to serve you anything dangerous again have they?" Esmerelda asked remembering when Ethel had been served raspberry jam by the chefs. The one food that could kill her with a single taste.

"No, not since Grandma Josephine had a go at them" Sybil said as she wiped her eyes and chuckled slightly.

"Good, has the food gotten better then?" Esmerelda asked curiously.

"Not so much, but at least we can eat it without getting sick" Ethel replied she had come to realise that they had to eat the gross food even if it was disgusting because they couldn't let themselves starve and get sick, Esmie suffered with it at school as well so it was not just them. They were all getting served food they hated.

"At half term I am going to make you both some pasta" Esmerelda told them knowing it was both their favourites, they liked it in different ways but they both loved it and always asked for it when she was at home.

"Ooo yum!" Sybil said smiling happily, she loved her sister's home-made pasta.

"My favourite, I want it now" Ethel said and Esmerelda chuckled as it wasn't possible.

"Sorry Ethie, you will have to be patient" her sister told her.

"Only two weeks now" Sybil said as in two weeks it was the Christmas holidays and Esmerelda was so excited to go home to see her sisters.

* * *

"It will be here before you know it, have mum and dad got a tree?" Esmerelda asked. Their parents never brought a real one because of the mess but normally put up a small fake one, but sometimes they forgot about it, depending on how busy they were. The sisters were to fearful to ask if they could have one themselves.

"Yes they remembered!" Sybil said smiling. She always loved having a tree.

"I can't wait to see it, I bet you two have decorated it amazingly!" Esmerelda said and the girls nodded.

"We found the baubles we made with Grandpa Nelson and Grandma Josephine!" Ethel said with a gasp as she remembered and smiled even bigger than Sybil.

"What?" Esmerelda said in shock "We lost them years ago!" Esmerelda commented.

The girls had made some beautiful handmade Christmas baubles the year before their grandfather died and the year bedsore Josephine left to live in Australia. It was one of the last things they made with their grandpa before he suddenly fell ill and he had loved them so much that Christmas, the girls therefore treasured them but one year they had become separate from the other decorations and they had lost them, the girls had been so upset and looked everywhere but they were gone. It had been four or five years since that time. They still looked every Christmas but they could never find them.

"I know, we found them in the attic, in a bag of old stuff Grandma Jo left, I don't know how they ended up in there but we were so happy" Sybil told her sister.

Esmerelda was confused. She would bet on anything they had looked through Grandma Jo's bags every year for the baubles and they were never there but the girl couldn't help smiling despite this. Maybe it did suck being away from her sisters and their Christmases were never that great as they were stick at home alone with nothing to do but them decorations made everything better, they made them feel happy every time they looked at them and reminded them of a time they had adults in their lives who loved them. Esmerelda therefore could not wait to go home, she only hoped it didn't drag until the holidays began.


	16. Chapter 16

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

Chapter Sixteen

It didn't take long for the rest of the school to find out about the expulsion of the first years, and the story of Esmerelda's near death experience went around just as quickly. Esmerelda saw some of the other students give her sympathetic looks, she didn't know why, they had never cared about her before.

However, Esmerelda did do what she had promised herself and thanked Lily for owning up and telling the teachers that she had seen the girls push her. She knew it had taken a lot as many girls feared the past pupils, and she wasn't exactly the most popular pupil so she could have kept quiet and let them get off.

"Thank you lily, for owning up" Esmerelda said as she saw her in potions class the next day. Lily smiled shyly as she looked at her, but she also gave her a look as if she was wondering why she was talking to her off all people.

"You are welcome" she told Esmerelda who smiled as she walked past her to her own cauldron. Today they were making an invisibility potion, which was one Esmerelda was very confident about but like always most of the girls looked confused. Some already had smoke coming out of their potion, somehow already gone wrong.

They made the potions for forty minutes of the lesson and then HB started walking around to inspect them for the last ten minutes. Esmerelda saw a lot of the girls looked scared as their potions were not the green colour it showed in their potions books. One such student was Lily, her potion was blue and Esmerelda decided she was going to help her, she owned her after what she did so when HB turned her back Esmie sat on the floor and crawled over to Lily who screeched slightly as she saw her appear.

"What are you doing?" Lily asked her as she bit her lip. Esmerelda didn't say anything as she didn't have much time but she started putting some ingredients into the potion and then there was a hissing sound as it changed to green just as HB arrived. Esmerelda quickly crawled back to her own desk as HB tested it. She put a little of the potion on the frog in her hands and it vanished from sight. She then flicked her fingers making him reappear.

"Well Lily it seems we are finally getting somewhere with you doesn't it?" she told her. Lily just looked at her and nodded confused and overwhelmed as the bell went, she looked over at Esmerelda who smiled, happy it had worked as she made her way out of the lesson.

* * *

"Esmerelda" she heard someone say behind her as she walked. She turned to see Lily walking towards her.

"Thank you...but why..." Lily said not sure why she had just helped her.

"You helped me so I had to help you too, you made it so the girls got expelled and I helped make sure you didn't get detention with HB, so we are even" Esmerelda told her.

Lily smiled again but said nothing more as she walked off, looking very shy. She had looked like she had had more to say but had chickened out.

Lily was a strange one. Esmerelda thought to herself. The girl didn't appear to have a friendship group either, she did talk to some of the other girls at times but she wasn't with them all the time, she was alone sometimes too. Esmerelda knew why though, the girl was so shy she clammed up the second someone said a word to her. Even her sister Sybil was not as bad as Lily was. Esmerelda sighed as she made her way to next lesson.

* * *

Christmas was coming at Cackles. The castle had being decorated with tinsel and there was a large Christmas tree in the entrance. Esmerelda really was not the type to get into the Christmas spirit because her Christmases were boring, but this year she felt more excited than normal because it meant she got to go home to see Ethel and Sybil and she was beyond excited. She was therefore excited and in high spirits the rest of the day, but even so she was exhausted from the amount of work she had done so she was happy to be able to flop on her bed after lessons. She smiled, relaxing, glad she still had half an hour until dinner when she looked over at her door and spotted something white under it.

Curious, the young blonde stood up and walked over to pick it up. Bending down, she realised it was a piece of paper and she wondered why it had being slid under the door, she opened it and realised it was a letter so she sat down on her bed to read it. It was written in a child's handwriting and seemed to of being rushed as it was sloppy.

 _Esmerelda I am sorry for my behaviour towards you_

 _I never meant to hurt you in any way_

 _I just felt intimated_

 _You are so smart, I thought you were never want to talk to someone like me_

 _and I was to scared to say anything earlier._

 _Lily._

Esmerelda read it twice then sat there shocked. Lily had being to intimated to talk to her because she felt like Esmerelda would not like her as she was smarter than her, it made Esmerelda sad to think about that but it also got her thinking, how many other students had felt the same way? She suspected more than she thought. She knew many probably thought she felt superior to them for getting better grades than them, but it just wasn't true.

Esmerelda stood up and went down the corridor looking at the nameplates on the door for Lily's room, Lily was in the green house so she had never being down the corridor before, she had never had a need to. She finally found her room and she hoped she wasn't elsewhere as she didn't want everyone to see this. She knocked and a timid voice told her to go in. Esmerelda walked in and smiled.

* * *

"I got your letter" Esmerelda told Lily as she closed the door behind her

"I am sorry" Lily said again fearfully. "I know I am thick that is why I never spoke to you" Lily admitted now. She was always the bottom of her class so she honestly thought that. Esmerelda walked over to her.

"You aren't thick, don't listen to HB or the others, you're smarter than you think you just don't believe in yourself" Esmerelda told her thinking her nerves probably played a big part in her failures.

"How can I believe in myself when I am told I can't do it?" Lily now asked sadly. Esmerelda sat next to her and smiled slightly.

"I have two sisters, my youngest sister Sybil is very like you, she finds academic work hard too and she is timid, she thinks the same thing of herself, that she can't do what everyone else can" Esmerelda told her, the girl honestly did remind her of Sybil.

"Really?" Lily said looking shocked at the thought any sibling of Esmerelda would not be a straight A student.

"Yes, we had a tutor when we were little, she was similar to HB, she was strict and nasty and never liked when someone did something wrong, she terrified Sybil and now she gets flustered and messes up, especially in potions" Esmerelda told Lily truthfully, cringing as she remembered that tutor.

"Really? So what does she do?" Lily asked as she needed reassurance.

"Nothing, I tell her all the time not to worry about it, being clever is not everything, there is more important things, being a kind person and helping others, personality is the first thing you learn about people when you get to know them so having a good one is vital" Esmerelda told Lily before she carried on "I am not better than you because I am smart, I would never think that" Esmerelda told the other first year.

"I just thought..." Lily said

"I know I am sorry too, maybe I gave of the wrong impression...why don't we start again?" Esmerelda asked her. Esmerelda couldn't remember a time Lily had targeted her singly so she was clearly going along with it like everyone else, it might do her good to have a friend, so her days at Cackles weren't lonely.

"You would want to talk to me?" Lily asked shocked

"Yes, I always say the quietest people normally are the most interesting ones, both of us have no-one, we might do well to stick together, although I will admit I only really talk about my sisters and my sisters" Esmerelda told her hoping Lily agreed.

Lily laughed at the joke she made and smiled "I have an older brother, I miss him a lot too, I wish he was able to come to Cackles" Lily said with a sigh missing her sibling.

"Don't worry, two hundred and fifty hours until we get to go home, then you can see him again" Esmerelda told the girl. Yes she kept count, it helped her to stay sane.

Lily smiled and nodded in agreement, knowing she had judged the blonde to quickly.

"And I can help you with your schoolwork" Esmerelda told her and Lily looked like she was about to cry.

"Really?" she said with shiny eyes, no-one had ever offered to help before.

"Sure, what are friends for?" Esmerelda replied with a smile, having a feeling this was the start of a great friendship.


	17. Chapter 17

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Esmerelda was happy to have a friend but her and Lily didn't have much time to get to know each other because just two days later it was the Christmas holidays. Esmerelda was so excited she was up at five and waited impatiently to be allowed to go home.

"We leave at nine" Miss Bat said and Esmie sighed. She still had an hour. The time seemed to only drag more, even when Lily arrived and she spoke to the blonde Esmerelda felt like it was taking years. Finally, they were allowed to go home and Esmerelda said goodbye to Lily and took of, shaking with anticipation.

She flew for around ten minutes before the worry set in. What if things had changed? What if Ethel and Sybil wee different, what if they looked different than she remembered and she didn't recognise them. It had been so many months a feeling of dread crept over the young girl as she thought about the possibilities.

She knew it was silly. She had seen her sisters on mirror chats, of course she would recognise them and maybe they would have a new interest or something but they could tell her about it, she didn't know why she was so worried, she was supposed to be excited.

Esmerelda knew though she just naturally worried about everything. Her grandmother use to joke she was worst than her and Grandma Jo was the biggest worry wart Esmerelda knew. She knew she did have a tendency to worry to much but she just loved her sisters so much, she didn't want to miss something important in their lives.

She was so busy frowning in worry she almost flew past her house. It felt weird returning, like she didn't quite belong there anymore, and she landed gently on the tarmac, grabbing her broomstick in her right hand and then pausing just to look at it.

* * *

The Hallow mansion was extraordinary to say the least. It was the type of picturesque building that was shown in films and TV shows. It was a large seven story house with more rooms than Esmerelda could count. It was painted in an off white colour and although it was clearly an old house it had charm to it. Surrounding it was a small walkway leading to the mansion and green trees and bushes that had flowers on it. It looked like a dream come true but Esmerelda knew the truth. It made her sad to think such a beautiful place was so dark and cold inside, and was full of loneliness and bad memories, it should hold a lot of love but it just didn't.

Esmerelda gulped, memories flooding back to her as she looked at the place her and her younger sisters lived, of lonely nights when they were left along with microwaved food and nothing to do but talk sadly. She shook her head, tying to forget her thoughts as she went to the door and rang the doorbell.

After a few minutes, a middle aged man in a suit answered and when he saw who it was he bowed.

"Miss Hallow, how nice it is to see you" he told her and Esmerelda smiled slightly. Their butler Sebastian was actually not that bad, he was always pleasant to them.

"Hi Sebastian" Esmerelda told him as she stepped into the house. He took the young girl's coat and she smiled slightly.

"I think your sisters are upstairs, your parents are working" he told Esmerelda and she refrained from rolling her eyes. She would have being more surprised if they were there to greet her from school.

"Thank you" Esmerelda said as she looked around trying to get used to the surroundings again. A large hall with marble floors and a large staircase. She started climbing them looking around as she did so.

Her heart started beating like mad and her head started hurting, her mouth also become dry from nerves. She kept climbing full of anxiety until she arrived on the landing and she heard voices coming from Sybil's room. She was thankful she recognised them as her sister's straight away. It was only as she got closer she realised they were angry.

"No you have had it longer, give it to me" she heard Sybil say

"No you have, give it to me!" Ethel then said equally as frustrated.

Esmerelda had to smile to herself. Her sisters fighting was normal, it was them all over. She had missed their silly squabbles and she pushed open the door beaming, feeling like she had never been away.

Caught up in their fight they didn't notice their sister as they fought over a toy. Esmerelda leaned against the door and watched them amused for a few minutes before she decided to alert them to her presence.

"Oh honestly, I come home and you two are already fighting, doesn't seem like much has changed" she said beaming as she saw their reaction.

* * *

They both dropped the toy they were holding before jumping up and running up to their sister at full speed. She ended up being toppled over and fell onto of the bean bag in Sybil's room. She chuckled, as she felt herself trapped by the weight of the two blondes on top of her.

"Are you okay? Sorry Esmie" Ethel said standing up and giving her sister room to breath. Sybil did the same thing as she offered her hand and helped her sister up.

"Yes that was funny" Esmerelda told them kissing their heads happily "Oh I missed you two so much" Esmerelda said as she opened her arms again and they both hugged her.

"How is your arm?" Sybil asked, remembering her sister's injury.

"Healed" Esmerelda said, looking down at her castless arm happily "I would have come even with the cast on though I had to see you two again" Esmerelda told them with a smile.

The girls smiled at her before Esmerelda stroked their hair and spoke softly, in a tone she saved just for them.

"What have you two being up to today?" Esmerelda asked them and they both fell silent, sadly.

"Nothing, we are bored stiff, we have played with everything and used everything" Sybil replied.

Esmerelda looked at them and smiled then as she thought of something they used to do when they were younger but obviously hadn't done in a while as she was away at school.

"Why don't we put one of our CDS on?" Esmerelda asked remembering how they used to put a musical CD on and dance and sing along. It was one of their more risky forms of entertainment as their parents hated them making noise, but it was one of their favourites.

"We got caught last time, we are scared to do it now" Ethel told her and Esmerelda smirked as she knew the perfect song they could dance too. She rushed to the CDS Sybil had and put one in the player.

"YES!" Ethel shouted as she heard what song it was. One of their favourites from Matilda.

"I LOVE THIS SONG" Sybil shouted as she started dancing

Esmerelda smirked knowing that already, she knew these two listened endlessly to this CD, even if they wouldn't always risk dancing to it.

"Well you do have to be naughty at times" Esmerelda told them as the three of them started dancing to the song.

Before long the three girls were sat in the room making their own music video to the song. They had rehearsed it so much they did it pretty much perfectly, and giggled as they sang and danced and performed for no-one, as if they were the girl on stage.

Esmerelda had not laughed so long in months, she felt her stomach hurt from all the laughing she had done, she looked at her sisters and they laughed more, Esmerelda was so glad to be home, she had missed her sisters more than she realised.

"Please don't make me laugh anymore, I think I will wet myself" Sybil said her laughing making her need the toilet. She clutched her stomach as she tried to stop laughing but thought she physically couldn't stop.

"Ethel stop" Esmerelda said as the middle blonde only laughed more, clutching her stomach that was very painful from so much laughing. They hadn't laughed in so long like this it felt amazing and none of them wanted it to end.

The girls were having so much fun and laughing so much they didn't hear the front door slam or any other sounds alerting to someone else present in the house. Sybil tried to stop laughing, not wanting to have an accident but she just couldn't. Her sisters were not stopping either and they didn't know how much longer they would laugh before they finally were able to stop. Suddenly out of nowhere, the door slammed open and Mr and Mrs Hallow appeared in the doorway looking at their daughters with angry eyes.

"What on earth is going on?" Ursula Hallow asked irritated. The three girls stopped laughing instantly and stopped to look at them, shocked to see them home early.


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry it seems to be the same theme in my stories, this is the last time I promise, I just had to show exactly what their homelife is like

* * *

 **Chapter Eighteen**

Mr and Mrs Hallow glared at their daughters, not happy they had found their daughters making so much noise in their house. The girls stared at their parents shocked and not knowing what to say.

"Esmerelda, you have being home five minutes and are already making noise" Ursula told her daughter angrily. Sybil looked at her parents and once they were distracted she tried to sneak out the room, luckily she was small so she ducked on to the floor and started crawling towards the door.

"Sybil Hallow, where on earth do you think you are going?" Triton asked stopping her in her tracks.

"I need the toilet" Sybil said still needing it from earlier. She had been about to go before her parents walked in.

"Well you can wait until we have finished talking to you" Ursula told her and Sybil looked at her tearfully, knowing they would take their time.

"Esmerelda, I thought being at school would make you mature enough to not join in with this childish behaviour" Triton told her, glaring at her.

"I am sorry father, you are right" Esmerelda said hanging her head as she was told off.

"We have told you we don't like noise, you are all young witches, Cackles is clearly not teaching you right if you are still involved with this childish behaviour" Her mother said surprised her daughter was still not learning.

"They are mother I just got overexcited at seeing Ethel and Sybil, I am sorry" Esmerelda replied with a sigh.

"Yes well now I want you all downstairs, it so time for lunch" Trition said wanting them downstairs so he could keep an eye on his children.

"We will come down in a minute" Ethel said, not waning to go that second.

* * *

"No now, come on" Triton said leading them out the room. The girls followed their parents out of the room and Sybil started crying.

"What is wrong Sybie?" Esmerelda asked her concerned.

"I really need the toilet now and mum and dad won't let me go" Sybil told her sister, becoming more desperate.

"Mum, dad can we please have a toilet break before we come down?" Esmerelda asked them and they turned around and glared at her.

"Sybil needs the toilet badly" Ethel replied looking at the younger worried.

"Well you should have thought about that before you misbehaved, come to the table now" their parents told them and the girls sighed and followed them downstairs.

In their house they all had a set seat and the family of five sat down. Esmerelda had no idea why they were forced to eat with their parents as they ignored them anyway.

"Now we are going to all sit down and have a nice meal, I don't want any misbehaving from any of you" Ursula told them as dinner was served and they tucked into the caviar on the plate in front of them. The three girls tried the food and gagged, it was honestly disgusting, why their parents were serving the daughters food like that was anyone's guess.

"Eat up you three come on" Triton told his daughters.

* * *

They ate for a few minutes, forcing it down their throats, until Sybil put her plate down, she knew she would not be allowed to leave the table until everyone had finished eating. She was absolutely terrified of wetting herself, sure she was eight years old and children had accidents all the time and it was not normally a big deal but Sybil could only imagine how much trouble she would be in if she couldn't hold it and what her parents would do to her if it happened and at that thought she cried gently to herself from fear as she struggled.

"Sybil are you okay?" Ethel asked her sister with food half way to her mouth. Sybil looked tramatised and even Ethel was worried about her. Sybil shook her head and kept her head down, not sure how much longer she could wait.

Finally, after everyone had finished eating Sybil was relieved, she would be able to go relieve herself in peace and not have to worry about needing the toilet anymore. Luckily, they only had dessert at dinner so the girls were told the could go. Sybil started to rush to the door, proud she had managed to hold it so long but now needing the toilet badly. She was almost at the door when she heard her parents call them back.

"SYBIL HALLOW" Ursula shouted. Sybil turned in fear wondering what they wanted. Her mum walked over to her and grabbed her arm, dragged her back to the table.

"WHAT IS THIS MESS, IT LOOKS LIKE AN ANIMAL WAS EATING HERE, HOW DARE YOU LEAVE SUCH A MESS" Triton shouted showing her the mess she had made with the food she had been eating. There was crumbs in the place she had been eating.

Sybil was a timid child and she hated being shouted at more than anything in the world. It terrified her so much. Sybil started shaking like mad from fear at the way they were shouting at her. Her parents were probably the thing that terrified her the most.

"Leave her alone, she didn't mean to" Esmerelda told her parents, unable to deal with them yelling at her sister like that, Sybil was a child she didn't understand how they expected her not to make a mess. They ignored her and only kept shouting at her.

"YOU ARE A STUPID CHILD, HALLOWS DON'T MAKE A MESS" Triton shouted at the youngest blonde.

Sybil jumped in fear and shook more, her legs shaking like mad. She was so scared that she wet herself right there and then. She had been able to hold it a bit longer but the fear had made her to scared and she was in so much shock her body went stiff and she weed onto the polished floor, just looking at her parents with wild terrified eyes. It was like she had turned into a statue, she didn't even move, she was just rigid with fear.

"SYBIL" Ursula told her but the girl was so shocked she didn't even notice and she just kept weeing on the floor.

"YOU DISGUSTING CHILD!" Triton told her as he slapped her. Ethel flinched and Esmerelda gasped. She was so angry at her parents right now. This was all their fault. Sybil had been about to use the toilet but they had scared her so much she had ended up wetting herself. It was just another thing that was going to terrify Sybil and make her more fearful than she was before and more traumatised and anxious. Esmerelda stood next to Sybil and yelled at her parents.

"DON'T BLAME HER, YOU ARE THE ONES WHO WOULDN'T LET HER USE THE TOILET, THAT IS PRETTY MUCH ABUSE AND YOU TERRIFIED HER SO MUCH THAT SHE COULDN'T HELP IT" Esmerelda told them glaring at them, wondering how they dared to touch her sister. She had never seen them hit any of them before, they hit Esmerelda at times but she thought they wouldn't dare to touch her sisters.

"Maybe she is just stupid and needs to be put back in nappies!" Ursula told her daughter angrily.

"Or maybe you need to stop terrifying her and these type of things wouldn't happen" Esmerelda shouted back at her parents. She glared at them and then turned back to her sisters leading out of the room.

"GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT" Triton shouted but Esmerelda didn't stop, knowing that would not help. As soon as they got upstairs, Sybil burst into tears.

* * *

"I am sorry" she said still shaking and embarrassed. Esmerelda hugged her tightly, not annoyed at Sybil at all. Even Ethel put a comforting arm around her.

"Don't be Sybie, it happens sometimes and it wasn't your fault, you were scared" Esmerelda told her hugging her gently. Hating her parents so much right now for only making Sybil's mental health worst. She knew she had caused this to happen to the bullies but they deserved that. No-one found this accident funny, not when Sybil was terrified into the point she had wet herself.

"It is my fault, I am sorry" Sybil said crying onto Esmerelda's chest as she shook.

Sadly, this was not the first time this had happened to Sybil. They used to have a tutor who had taught them potions and basic spells and the woman reminded her of Miss Hardbroom, only she was actually a lot worst. It at one point had being a daily thing that Sybil wound wet herself, the nannies could never figure it out, they said it was a phrase all children went through because Sybil would not even have to be with the tutor for it to happen, it just happened at random times sometimes and no-one could figure out why. Esmerelda had figured out it was the tutor tramatising Sybil into it happening, but it had not happened for a long time. It happened to Ethel once or twice with the tutor too, that was how terrifying the woman was.

"Don't cry Sybil, you will be fine I promise, you best go get cleaned up" Esmerelda told her sadly.

Esmerelda knew she should not have left home, things were only getting worse rather than better and her parents were making her sisters so scared they ended up wetting themselves they were that scared, Esmerelda knew it was probably her own fault for making Sybil so hyper and in essence need the toilet so much, but the way her parents had reacted disgusted her and more than ever she had a need to protect them.


	19. Chapter 19

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Nineteen**

Sybil was still upset the next day but luckily their parents were working so Esmerelda tried her best to distract them. Esmerelda was still angry, not at Sybil but at her parents for what they had done to Sybil.

"Let's just try and have a good Christmas yes?" Esmerelda told them as they played scrabble. She could see both girls were afraid of their parents, their parents hitting Sybil had really scared them. It was so unexpected and harsh.

"I am making pasta for dinner" Esmerelda told them and both girls smiled, brightening a little at least, as they knew they would have their favourite food.

Despite all this Esmerelda really was determined to make this a good Christmas for her sisters. Their parents would be working the whole day, which meant she didn't have to worry about them and she could try make Christmas go the way she wanted it to. The younger two went to bed on Christmas Eve, not giddy with excitement like they should be, like children naturally are. They knew Christmas would not be any better than any other day, but Esmerelda smiled and then when she knew they were asleep she rushed off to do some magic, magic she could do even if she was had been a non magical person.

* * *

Ethel and Sybil woke up and knocked on Esmerelda's bedroom door, wanting to spend time with their sister at least at Christmas. Esmie opened it and smiled. She was dressed in a Christmas hat and a green Christmas jumper with a Christmas tree on it.

"What is going on?" Ethel asked stepping into her room confused.

"It is Christmas" the girl replied as if that explained everything. Sybil and Ethel gasped then as they stepped fully into the bedroom.

Tinsel was pinned up around the walls, and Christmas stockings. It looked like a Santa's grotto, and on the bed lay a purple jumper with a Christmas pudding on it and a red one with a snowman, as well as two Christmas hats.

"Go put your chirstmas stuff on" Esmerelda told them as they noticed and rushed over. It was true Mr and Mrs Hallow did not despite Christmas but they never brought their children anything Christmas related either.

"These are so cool, where did you get this stuff?" Sybil asked as she put the jumper over her head.

"Gran sent it, you know that bunch of stuff she normally sends that mum and dad never give us?" Esmerelda explained as she smiled, seeing her sisters put on their jumpers and hats. Their parents never bothered to give them the stuff from Josephine as they thought she was a bad influence.

"Come on, it is Christmas morning, that means it is time for presents" Esmerelda told them taking their hands and rushing down the stairs. The girls arrived into the front room, seeing it also decorated.

"Wow Esmie, you really went all out" Ethel said spinning around trying to look at everything at once.

"I wanted this Christmas to be special, you have some presents, you best go see what they are" Esmerelda told her sisters. Both blondes rushed off to look under the tree and saw a small pile of presents for both of them.

The girls did get presents at home. Their parents did buy them a few gifts. But their parents did not know their daughters, they did not know their likes or interests, the stuff they were given was stuff they didn't need or weren't interested in so there presents were not normally exciting for them.

"A new diary, my old one was getting full! Thank you Esmerelda" Ethel said as she opened the small leather bound purple book and smiled.

"These are from gran, I just wrapped them" Esmerelda told her sisters. She wished most of these were from her but she was eleven years old, she didn't have any money for presents.

"Still Esmie, thank you" Sybil said as she looked at her new teddy bed that said 'Australia' on the jumper it was wearing. She hugged it and smiled and smiled even more when her sisters opened matching ones.

"I wish gran was here" Ethel said with a sigh. She missed the woman and having a bear with the word Australia on it, only reminded her how far away she actually was.

"Me too" Esmerelda said sadly "But we can still have fun, here open this one" Esmerelda said pointing to a small package. "This one is from me" Esmerelda told them.

Peeling of the paper, they found three small jewellery sized boxes inside. Each box read one of the girls names and Sybil counted to three and they all opened them at the same time and gasped in unison. Esmerelda of course knew what it was but played along with her sisters.

Esmerelda had a heart shaped necklace with a silver chain. On the heart it read'Big sis' and Ethel had a smaller heart which said 'middle sis' on it and then Sybil's was an even smaller heart which said 'little sis'. The necklaces joined together and formed as one. Esmerelda had seen them and fallen in love with them and had then saved all the money she had to buy them.

"Esmerelda these are amazing" Sybil said as she smiled at her new presents

"You really think so? You don't think they are cheesy?" Esmerelda asked. She had being worried her sisters would think it was cheesy and not want to wear them.

"No way, it shows we are all connected as one" Ethel said as she took hers out the box and started to unclasp it to put on.

"Let's wear them all the time, well when you aren't at school, you aren't allowed jewellery" Sybil said, not wanting her sister in trouble for breaking the rules.

"Don't you worry, I will wear it under my uniform, no-one will ever know" Esmerelda told her sisters as she she helped them put their necklaces on and then they all joined them together and smiled. They were stronger as one and that was what the necklaces said.

The girls played with their new things for a while and played a few boardgames. Esmerelda put on a CD with Christmas songs on, trying to get them in the mood for the day. Hours went by with the girls just hanging out and laughing before they were all starving.

* * *

Esmerelda was not a superhero and even she was not able to produce a full Christmas meal for them by herself, but she could however try make something special. She made some pasta and used food colouring on it to turn it green and then some red food dye on the meat to turn it brighter red. It looked like the typical Christmas colours made it more christmasy. True it wouldn't taste different but it was the thought that counted.

"Ooo wow" Sybil sad as she saw her dinner

"I couldn't get any crackers or anything, I am sorry" Esmerelda said but both girls were thrilled with their Christmas dinner.

"Mm this is good" Ethel said as she stuffed more into her mouth.

"Glad you liked it and guess what, I found some ice cream in the freezer, that means a Christmas desert" Esmerelda told them. The girls beamed at her and ate faster, wanting their treat.

After dinner, Esmerelda gave them both vanilla ice cream with hundreds and thousands. It was a simple food for Christmas but it was perfect for them. The love put into it made it special. Esmerelda had tried to make it the best time possible for them and hoped her effort was appreciated.

* * *

"Esmerelda, this has being the best Christmas ever" Sybil said as the three of the cuddled in her bed watching a Christmas film under the covers.

"Yes thank you Esmie" Ethel said, snuggling up into her more.

She hugged both her sisters loving them so much in that moment. Her beautiful sisters were her world and she had made their day special. She just wanted them to feel like normal children for once, being loved and spoiled at Christmas just for the sheer happiness they brought people.

It really was the best Christmas ever and Esmerelda was thrilled she had been able to give it to them.

"You are welcome" Esmerelda told them. It would be one they would never ever forget.


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: A bit of a different chapter but I thought it was an interesting idea. Hope you enjoy. The italic writing is the people talking in the story.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty**

Even though Esmerelda was at home for the next two weeks, she hardly saw her parents at all. She saw them once or twice but the rest of the time they were working, but she didn't mind, in fact she was happy about it, it was just her and her sisters, just the way she liked it.

"Tell us one of your stories Esmerelda!" Ethel said. The girl had promised her sisters she would tell them one of her stories but had not got around to it because of the chaos of Christmas, but now they sat on Esmerelda's bed and she smiled.

"I have being thinking about one" Esmerelda said smiling at them.

"Tell us!" Sybil said sitting on the bed and jumping happily, excited.

"Okay okay, this story is about a young girl, she was a witch like us, she was an exceptional student, she loved to study magic and potions" Esmerelda started by saying.

"What was her name?" Ethel asked curiously.

Esmerelda stopped to think. She hadn't thought of that but she thought of one of the top of her head. She didn't know why it came to her it just did.

"Miriam" Esmerelda replied after a few moments "That's it, her name was Miriam" Esmerelda told her sisters.

"Tell us more!" Sybil said enjoying this story.

"Miriam was very smart as I said but she did have one flaw and that was that she was very gullible, she was the type of person who could be told it had been confirmed the moon was made of cheese and she would think it was true" Esmerelda went on.

"But that is silly" Ethel said laughing.

"Yes, but Miriam would of believed it" Esmerelda told her sisters, thinking some of the story up as she went along.

"So what happened next?" Ethel asked, hanging on her sisters every word.

"One day Miriam went out on a school trip with her classmates, they were visiting a witch who grew some of the potions ingredients to they used, the point of the trip was to try help them understand the hard work that went into it, she lived deep in the woods surrounding the school, away from any other people" Esmerelda went on looking at her sisters who were sitting crossed legged and looking at her interested so she carried on. "The young girl was fascinated by what she was learning on the trip and ended up getting separated from the group because she was to busy trying to inspect everything" Esmerelda went on with her fictional story.

"Oh no!" Sybil said worried about the girl being lost.

"At first Miriam didn't panic when she realised she was alone, she was after all smart, and she would use her brain to find her way back, but she was not the best with directions and only ended up going in circles, back into the deep of the forest" Esmerelda said doing hand motions and talking slowly to try make the story more dramatic.

"She walked for a while, now starting to get worried and scared, it was getting dark and she knew she was not making any progress, so when she came across the potion growers house she knocked, the woman opened it and invited her in" Esmerelda went on.

* * *

" _I can't find my way back" the girl said to the woman. "I need to get back to school" she told her worried._

" _The code says witches help themselves, I can help you but for a price" she told the young girl._

 _The young girl looked at her wondering what she meant, when the woman suddenly noticed the locket around her neck._

" _I will take that locket as payment" the woman said. The girl gasped and grabbed it with her hand, protecting it. It was her most prized possession, she couldn't give it up._

" _No you can't….it was my mothers" the young girl said "Please anything else but that, there must be something you want" Miriam said to her looking at her worried._

" _There is one thing I want, I want to be the most powerful witch that ever lived, but I can't do that alone, I need the powers of another"_ the woman told her and Ethel and Sybil gasped at this point.

"She wants her to give her her magic?" Ethel said unable to think of anything worst.

"That is horrible!" Sybil said, tears forming in her eyes.

"What did she do Esmie?" Ethel said looking at her older sister

"Well.." Esmie said as she carried on the story.

" _Okay..." Miriam said "I will give you my powers but you can't have my locket" she told her._

" _Alright let's do this" the old lady said._

"With a flash of light the powers of the girl were transformed to the old lady, the girl felt the magic leave her fingertips and then fell down weakly to her knees, losing her strength!" Esmerelda told her sisters.

"OH NO" Ethel said shocked and upset

"That was what Miriam said too, the woman laughed evilly and transferred away in a puff of smoke, she realised she had being a fool, the woman had tricked her, she wasn't going to help her" Esmerelda said feeling sad for the girl.

"What happened next?" Sybil said slowly, not sure she wanted to know.

"With her magic gone the girl felt weak, she didn't know how to live without magic and be normal, she cried to herself softly as she thought of her mother, she missed her mother so much, and in that moment she wished she was with her, not knowing what else to do the girl fell asleep, thinking of her lost powers and her lost mother" Esmerelda went on, getting to the sad part.

"It was hours later when the woman returned, she saw the young girl still in her house and was surprised, she thought she would of left by now, she walked up to her, shaking the girl to wake her up"

" _Why are you still here child? You have lost, I am not giving you your magic back" she told Miriam harshly._

 _The girl sat up facing the woman, feeling empty inside now she was a mortal, she knew she was right, a life with without magic was nothing, she had nothing left_

" _I suppose now you wished you gave up that stupid locket instead" the woman said laughing evilly._

 _At the way the woman spoke, the girl felt an anger inside her like she had never felt before, the locket was not stupid, it was the last thing her mother had gave her before she died, she would not part with it, with her life, that was when the girl realised something_

" _Being a witch is not all about magic, I have something you have never had and that is unconditional love, even though I am apart from my mother, her love runs through my veins, that is something you can never take from me, I have a power you will never have" Miriam said to the old woman._

" _Love is for losers" the old woman replied, trying to break the girl down._

" _I have the one thing you have always wanted, I can see it, you are lacking affection and you always wanted it, you can't have the one thing you always wanted, being the strongest witch is not about having the strongest magic, it is about having the biggest heart, I might not have powers anymore, but I am not going to let you win" Miriam said._

"So what happened?" Sybil asked desperate to know the ending.

"She went to live in the non-magical world" Esmerelda said, saying what had happened to her.

"But how did she cope without her powers?" Ethel asked not understanding.

"She realised she didn't need them, having powers did not make her who she was, she still had the same heart and the same personality, she missed her powers but having the locket helped her cope, she could live without her powers, but that locket was something she would hold with her life" Esmerelda told her sisters.

"That is….inspiring" Ethel said lost in thought.

"Yes losing your powers must be hard, but there are more important things, like friendship and love and who you are inside aside from your powers" Esmerelda told them glad they understood.

"I would give mine up too if you and Ethel were in danger" Sybil replied happily

"Me too" Ethel said without thinking.

"As would I" Esmerelda said smiling

She didn't know at the time, that in two years her story would no longer be fiction but her reality, it would scare her when she looked back on it. That story was closer to home than she could ever imagine.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Sory for anyone who finds this chapter awkward to read but I am trying to show how the girls parents don't prepare them for anything and how this affects the girls in their everyday lives because of the lack of communication.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

The Christmas holidays ended earlier than Esmerelda wanted. The two weeks she had away from Cackles only seemed to fly by and the young girl was becoming more miserable by the day because she knew soon she would be away from her sisters.

Before she knew it she would be returning to Cackles the next morning, and she said an emotional goodbye to her sisters that night.

"Be good, I will see you soon" Esmerelda told them as she hugged them both tightly. She had to be up early tomorrow so she had to say her goodbyes now.

"Love you Esmie" Sybil said cuddling into her

"I love you too" Ethel replied hugging her on the other side. Esmerelda wanted to never let them go, she wanted to stay with them forever and not have to go back to school, she knew it would be easier now she had a friend, and the girls who had bullied her had being expelled but she would miss her sisters so much.

"I love you too" Esmerelda told them giving them one final squeeze.

* * *

Esmerelda did not sleep well that night at all. She tossed and turned, knowing in a few hours she would be leaving her sisters again. She must have only slept for around an hour when her alarm went of for her to get up. She dressed slowly into uniform and then quickly went to both Ethel and Sybil's room to kiss them goodbye as they slept before she left in tears to return to school, she took of quickly, knowing she would look back and not be able to leave anywise.

She sobbed quietly to herself as she flew away from the mansion back towards the direction of Cackles academy. It felt harder this time than it had the first time she had left because the first time she was deluding herself about the fact she was leaving them, this time felt like a stab in the chest and she cried as she flew to Cackles and landed in the courtyard, back at Cackles, and back to months of being away from her sisters. She tried not to think about the fact she would not see her sisters again until summer, because that thought would only break her.

Esmerelda had been finding Cackles easier to deal with, she still didn't find the place enjoyable but she had been able to cope better, but now she had gone back to square one, she was an emotional wreck like she had been at the beginning of the year, seeing her sisters had sent her back down hill.

Her sleeping was suffering as a result, she spent most of the night crying and couldn't settle, things at Cackles went back to normal quickly and this time the teachers were not so understanding and expected her to sort herself out, 'witches help themselves' the code said. Esmerelda hated that stupid code, it was the vain of her existence. HB had given her detention her first day back for crying, she hated that woman at times.

* * *

The day after she returned to school, Esmerelda woke up one hour after she had fallen asleep at three in the morning, this time though she had not woken because of a nightmare, she had an awful pain in her stomach.

She wasn't sure why she was in pain. It seemed to of come on very suddenly to say the least. She had gone to bed feeling fine but now she had an awful stomach ache, and it didn't feel like a normal stomach ache either. The girl rubbed her stomach hoping it would go away and being exhausted eventually fell asleep, even though her stomach still hurt.

She woke up again at six. It was too early to start getting ready for lessons but that pain was still there, in fact, it was much worse. Esmerelda though had never felt such a horrible, odd pain before. Her stomach was agony but she didn't feel sick at all, and her stomach felt like something was pressing against it, she had no idea what was going on.

She stood up, thinking maybe movement would help but not sure exactly what she should do, she was sure the nurse would ask her all sorts of questions or think she was making a fuss but the amount of pain in her stomach was unbelievable. The girl knew she would not be able to go back to sleep so she decided as the bathrooms would be free she would take advantage by getting ready now. She walked into the nearest bathroom for the purple house girls and decided to use the toilet before she showered.

She went to use the toilet before she noticed something odd. Blood in her underwear. Esmerelda looked at the blood with wide scared eyes before she quickly pulled her trousers back up and rushed of to her bedroom, forgetting that she was going to have the luxury of having not to wait for the bathroom to be free. She didn't know what to do but run in her room and jump onto her bed, terrified.

The thing was Esmerelda did not know what was happening. Talks about puberty had not started yet at Cackles and her mother had never spoken to her about it and her grandmother had never spoken to her about it because she was far away and figured her mother would at least do that much. That was why Esmerelda was currently panicking, she didn't realise this was normal and thought there was something wrong.

Esmerelda went to grab a book of the bookshelf wondering what she should search for, bleeding?, illnesses? She had no idea what she was meant to research. She opened it and started to look for anything that could tell her what was wrong with her and any treatment she could have, she found a few things that looked like they might be helpful but reading up on them more she realised they were not what she was actually looking for. She couldn't find anything about it.

Esmerelda closed the book as her stomach started to cramp. She had no idea what was wrong with her but all she knew was it was painful. She tried to think of reasons this could be happening to her, she wasn't injured and then she realised something, blood meant damage, so there was clearly something wrong with her.

She lay on her bed trying to think of solutions to her problem. Her parents would be to busy to talk to and her mother would only fuss and try to say it was nothing, Cackle and HB would think she is attention seeking, Bat and Gullet would be unhelpful. Miss Drill might know something but Esmie was not sure on what she was supposed to say to her.

" _Oh hi miss just to let you know I am bleeding, I know you aren't a doctor but thought you should know"_ Esmerelda thought to herself before shaking her head. Just the thought of the conversation sounded stupid.

Therefore Esmerelda stayed in bed until it was half an hour to lessons and got washed and dressed trying not to think about her problem or the pain she was experiencing. When she saw Lily as she left her bedroom she smiled and tried to act normal as they walked to breakfast before lessons.

"Are you alright Esmie? You look a little pale?" Lily said seeing she didn't have much colour in her face. Lily was able to tell she wasn't quite right.

Esmerelda looked at her friend wondering if she had any experience with something similar, she opened her mouth to ask her but the words got stuck.

"I am fine" Esmerelda lied as they walked slowly. They sat down to have breakfast. Cold porridge again. Esmerelda normally was turned of by the look of the disgusting food anyway but today she had no appetite and couldn't bare the thought of having to eat.

"Are you sure you are okay?" Lily asked seeing there was something wrong. True Esmie never happily ate her food anyway but today she was just playing with it.

"Yes, I am fine" Esmerelda told her trying to think of other things other than the pain in her stomach.

* * *

Esmerelda tried her best to act normal throughout the day. She smiled at the times someone looked at her even if she felt like crying in pain, but she was more quiet than normal.

Esmerelda could feel a wet feeling down below and knew she was still bleeding, she still didn't think it was normal and thought she was very ill. All sort of things ran through her head until the girl had managed to convince herself she was dying.

She tried to keep calm though. She was sure it was something which would go away by itself, it was probably just a virus or something and then she would be right as rain, no-one ever had to know the truth.

She still had this thought in her mind as she walked to her PE lesson. She followed the rest of her class in order to change into her PE kit but started to feel even more sick. She walked to the toilets, wondering if there was some way she could stop the bleeding, she stood against the wall trying to think of what she should do before she left the toilets, knowing she had to keep up her act of normality. Esmerelda quickly went toilet, thinking she might of imagined the blood as she had being half asleep that morning but when she saw there was indeed blood and there was more than before, she felt the panic inside her rise and tears prick the back of her eyes.

"Esmie are you alright?" Lily asked knocking on the cubicle door worried about her friend. Esmerelda blinked back tears of worry and pain before she replied.

"Yes I am fine, just coming now Lily" Esmerelda replied before she flushed the toilet and left the cubicle.

Esmerelda left the cubicle and Lily looked at her shocked, saying she looked awful. Esmerelda went to reply before she felt liquid run down her leg. She looked at her tights as a small bloodstain appeared, no-one else seemed to notice though as they didn't say anything. Seeing the blood appear made Esmerelda feel dizzy from shock and she fell into a dead faint, as many people do when they suddenly see blood on their body.

"Esmie! " Lily said gasping as her friend fell. "Go get miss drill!" Lily said to the other girls as she kneeled down next to her friend, wondering what was wrong with her.


	22. Chapter 22

A/N: Again this chapter might be uncomfortable for you to read but I hope you enjoy anyway.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Two**

Esmerelda was only unconscious for about two minutes and when she woke up Miss Drill was only then running into the room to see what was going on.

"Esmerelda, are you okay what happened?" Miss Drill asked her wondering what was wrong with the girl. She kneeled down next to her pupil, wearing a worried expression.

Esmerelda did not know what came over her. She had being relatively calm throughout the day on the outside, despite freaking out inside, but when Miss Drill appeared she remembered about the problem she was having. First she was bleeding and feeling sick now she was fainting, with that she got it into her head she was actually dying of something horrible, and she started to panic, unable to hide her fear anymore.

"Help me please...something is wrong" Esmerelda said starting to become upset.

"She hasn't being acting right Miss, she has been off all day" Lily told her teacher, wishing she had told a teacher beforehand because then things wouldn't of got so far.

"Esmerelda I need you to tell me what is going on or I can't help you" Miss Drill said. The other first years gathered around to see what was going on.

"Miss...I am dying" Esmerelda said letting tears fall down her face as she admitted what the problem was.

"What do you mean?" Miss Drill said wondering if the girl was hiding an illness or had being put under another spell.

"I….miss..." Esmerelda said crying more as she sat up and grabbed a hold of her teachers robes, becoming more upset by the minute.

"Esmie, tell us what is wrong!" Lily said, worried about her.

"I…..I'm bleeding...help me please, something is wrong" Esmerelda cried as she grabbed tighter onto Miss Drill pulling her robes and talking in a scared and worried tone, she was acting distraught, thrashing around and breathing heavily.

* * *

Miss Drill heard what she said and looked at the girl shocked, Lily looked at Esmerelda confused and before anyone could say anything, one of the girls in the crowd looked at Esmerelda like she was crazy and spoke herself.

"You have your period, duh!" the girl said laughing slightly and shaking her head wondering what all the trouble was about. All the girls in Esmerelda's year knew about this already, some having already started themselves or being told by their mothers when they reached the age of about ten like normal mothers told their daughters, most told them at around nine or ten, knowing ages ten to 14 was around the age most girls start there period and to make sure they are prepared so they didn't have a meltdown from fear like Esmerelda was doing.

"You lot be quiet!" Miss Drill say, coming back to her senses and finding her voice again.

Esmerelda though wasn't listening, she was only becoming more and more irrational and upset by the second.

"NOOO, HELP ME PLEASE, SOMEONE DO SOMETHING I AM ABOUT TO DIE OF SOMETHING" Esmerelda shouted holding onto Miss Drill more.

"Esmerelda it is okay, it is normal" Miss Drill told her trying to calm the girl down because she was getting into a state.

"NO STOP LYING, I AM GOING TO DIE, I CAN'T DIE BECAUSE I WILL MISS ETHEL AND SYBIL AND THEY NEED ME, WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME!" Esmerelda shouted at her teacher, thinking she was purposely just being annoying. Maybe she wanted her to die, maybe that was why she wasn't helping her.

"Miss….I don't think she has ever being spoken to about this" Lily told her teacher, seeing the fear on Esmerelda's face. Miss Drill turned around to face the pupils crowding around who were no longer laughing but looked afraid of the girl in that moment.

"I want all of you to leave right now!" she told the girls. One girl, who was a sport lover looked sad.

"Aww but what about PE?" the girl asked as her classmates glared at her.

"Lesson is cancelled for today, I want all of you to go to the library and study, I will be checking you are there so don't try to skive" she told the group who turned around and walked out annoyed. All expect Lily who wanted to help her friend so she stayed for moral support. Esmerelda though was still panicking.

"I AM DYING, IT HURTS MISS" Esmerelda shouted not understanding what was happening and only gripping her teacher's robes tighter.

"Esmerelda, it is okay calm down now" Miss Drill told her seeing how panicked the girl actually was.

"NO HELP ME, I THINK I HAVE BEING POISONED" Esmerelda shouted, completely losing control and just shouting and screaming hysterically.

Miss Drill knew she had to do something or they would just be going around in circles for the next few hours. She therefore cast a quick spell at the girl which paralysed her. Teachers were allowed to use spells on the pupils in extreme circumstances as long as it wasn't going to injure them. The woman helped her up and looked at her, holding her up because right now she couldn't hold her weight because of the spell, Miss Drill looked at the blonde, seeing the fear in her eyes but holding her shoulders to talk to her.

"Esmerelda, I promise you you are not dying, you need to calm down" she told the girl and Esmie looked at her as the woman lifted the spell, allowing Esmerelda to move again. She didn't think she was going to start panicking again.

"Deep breathes, calm yourself" Miss Drill told her

"In and out that's it" she told the blonde breathing slowly with her until the girl was calm down enough to be able to speak properly and listen.

* * *

Once the woman was sure that the girl was calm and was not going to have another meltdown she led her over to the benches they had in the changing rooms and sat down. Lily sat next to Esmerelda and Dimity was grateful the girl now had a good friend. She would need one right now.

"Esmerelda, has your mother never spoken to you about what is happening?" Miss Drill asked still not sure if the girl had just being in shock by her first period but knew what it was or she actually was clueless as to what it was.

Esmerelda shook her head and wiped her eyes, still teary and afraid even if she was now much calmer.

Miss Drill had to say she was shocked. Her mother must have known Esmerelda would be coming to the age where puberty would be occurring, fair enough most girls didn't start periods quite as young as Esmerelda but some girls did so she should have prepared her.

Dimity though knew it was up to her to tell her what was happening, she worked in an all girl school though so it was not that awkward compared to other things she had had to talk about, she had had to do lessons about this with whole year groups, talking to one girl about it was not going to be to hard.

"You are fine Esmerelda, this is perfectly normal, you are having a period, once a girl gets to a certain age it happens, it will happen once a month but it is nothing to worry about it happens to all girls" Miss Drill told her.

Esmerelda looked at her confused and the woman's heart went out to her, she honestly had no idea what was happening. No wonder the poor girl had thought she was dying, anyone would if they suddenly saw blood appear.

"Lily can you go to the nurse, ask her for some sanitary products?" Miss Drill told her and Lily nodded and smiled at Esmerelda before she got up to leave. Miss Drill thought the support was good but Lily had already had to sit through this awkward conversation with her own mother once, she didn't need to again. Dimity was angry at Miss Hallow for not bothering to sit the girl down and at least tell her the basics.

"We need to have a talk" Miss Drill told the girl, knowing how scared she was and how much she needed to be reassured.

The teacher then told the girl all she needed to know about periods and why they occurred and why she felt sick. Esmerelda looked at her awkwardly, trying to take this all in, she felt so overwhelmed with what she was being told.

"Do you have any questions?" the woman asked Esmerelda after she had explained everything.

Esmerelda shook her head and looked at the floor sadly, her head was hurting badly and she was in to much shock to say anything.

"I know it is a lot to take in but it will get easier I promise" Miss Drill told her as she touched her shoulder again comfort her. She didn't tell the girl about sex or anything, that was a topic for another day, she didn't want to terrify the poor girl anymore, they would have lessons about that at some point so she would be fine for now.

Lily came back in that moment and smiled at Esmerelda slightly, not knowing exactly what she should say to her.

"You are excused from lessons for the rest of the day Esmerelda, just try take it easy" Miss Drill told her knowing she couldn't always let the girl miss lessons because of a period but the girl looked like she was about to have another breakdown so she wanted her to calm down.

"Thank you" Esmerelda told her still looking teary.

Miss Drill smiled slightly at Esmerelda, feeling she was safe if she left her with Lily, before she left and transferred to Miss Cackle's office, she needed to talk to the woman urgently about this.


	23. Chapter 23

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* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Three**

Miss Drill had gone to see Miss Cackle to explain everything that had happened during her PE class. Miss Hardbroom had joined them, as the deputy needing to know as well what was going on and Miss Cackle listened in silence until the woman finished speaking.

"Are you sure Mrs Hallow didn't talk to her daughter about this?" the bespectacled woman asked her.

"If she had Esmerelda would not of being scared she is about to drop dead, the woman has two other daughters Ada and I don't want this to happen again, I think it would be wise to call her mother and we can discuss this with Esmerelda present" Dimity said. Hecate looked from Dimity to Ada and then Ada nodded with a sigh. Mrs Hallow really should have known better.

"Alright go and find Esmerelda, I will contact her mother" Ada told Dimity who smiled.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Miss Drill said as she transferred back to the young girl.

"What are you going to do Ada? I mean can we really get Mrs Hallow in to discuss something like this?" Hecate asked not wanting to judge the woman for her parenting. It went against the witches code.

"We have to discuss why Esmerelda wasn't told Hecate, I am going to contact her it is for the best" the woman told Hecate as she walked to her mirror to call the woman in question.

* * *

Esmerelda was still shook up when Miss Drill went to find her. She was talking to Lily and she wasn't freaking out as much as she was before but it was clear she was still trying to come to terms with everything and was scared.

"Esmerelda, Miss Cackle is bringing your mum in" Miss Drill told her. Esmerelda though became upset again, she was worried the woman was going to be angry at her for disturbing her.

"She will be angry, please don't let her!" Esmerelda said looking at her teacher with pleading eyes.

"Sorry Esmerelda but we need to let her know, come on it will be okay" Miss Drill told her as she transferred away with the young blonde after they had said goodbye to Lily.

* * *

Ursulla Hallow appeared in the office of Miss Cackle looking annoyed. She was never an easy person to deal with anyway, but Ada had caught her at a bad time.

"Miss Cackle, I was on my way to a very important meeting" the woman said glaring at the woman. She was very angry because she had had to postpone the meeting as Ada told her she urgently needed to see her. Esmerelda being her first child to be at Cackles, they hadn't had to deal with the woman as a mother very much and even though Hecate was not a mother herself and was harsh on the children she looked after, she had to admit she was surprised the woman did not seen concerned they needed to see her urgently about her daughter's well-being and was more concerned about her work.

"Mrs Hallow I am sorry to disturb you but we need to talk to you about Esmerelda" Ada told her, already feeling the woman was being off. She knew this conversation was going to be difficult.

"Why, what has happened?" the woman asked but unlike other parents who would ask that question in a right panic, Ursulla asked as if it was just wasting her time.

"Your daughter started her period" Miss Cackle told the woman bluntly knowing they would never get anywhere in this conversation anywise. The blonde woman didn't react, Ada knew she might be upset about it, as her daughter was growing up but after a few minutes of no reaction Ada was just starting to wonder if she understood her when she finally replied.

"Okay" the blonde woman said not seeming to have much reaction "And you couldn't tell me this through a mirror call because…?" Ursulla said confused and looking more annoyed. It was after all an all girls school, she didn't understood why they were so panicked over it. It was a natural thing they dealt with daily.

"Because Mrs Hallow, this is about the fact Esmerelda was not prepared, she had a breakdown because she didn't know what was happening because you never spoke to her about it beforehand" Hecate replied, becoming frustrated with the woman.

"Why would she have a breakdown?" the woman asked. Ada was starting to wonder if the woman was just playing dumb or if she actually was clueless because she didn't think anyone could be so stupid.

"The girl started bleeding out of nowhere, anyone who saw themselves bleeding without an explanation would panic about it" Ada replied trying to stop herself shouting, she was about to add, 'well most normal people' but thought against it. Just then there was a knock on the door and Esmerelda walked in, led by Miss Drill.

* * *

"Hello Esmerelda, take a seat" Miss Cackle told her seeing how fearful the girl still looked. She had never seen her like that before and it worried her. The girl looked like a little part of her had died with what she had found out earlier.

"Well you have told her what to do haven't you?" Mrs Hallow, ignoring her daughter and carrying on like she never walked in.

"Yes I explained to her what was happening, but the question is why didn't you speak to Esmerelda about this before she started school" Dimity asked, unable to hide her anger as easily as her colleagues.

"Them talks are awkward for me, I thought Esmerelda would have come across it in a book at some point, always has her head in a book this one" she replied. Esmerelda kept her head down looking at her lap.

"The talks are awkward for everyone, doesn't mean we just shouldn't give them" Dimity went on, beyond angry at the woman and her uncaring attitude. "Your daughter thought she was dying because you never explained that it was a normal thing" she told the woman hoping hearing that would shock the woman and get her to take some responsibility.

"The thing is Mrs Hallow I still don't understand what the problem was, if you were not up to talking to Esmerelda about it why did you not ask your mother, or mother in law to do it? There is no excuse for leaving the poor girl in the dark" Ada said. She was at first sympathetic to the woman, thinking maybe she just honestly had made a mistake, she had forgotten, or she thought she had told the girl but she hadn't, but she knew she had ignored the subject and didn't care her daughter suffered as a result. She was a cold person.

"I didn't know Esmerelda would get upset" Mrs Hallow replied as if it was her daughters fault for overreacting about it.

"Well in any case this can't happen again" HB replied as she folded her arms to look at the woman.

"I can't go back in time and change it, we haven't invented that spell yet" Mrs Hallow replied, she didn't know what they wanted her to do.

"I don't expect you to change it, the damage is done, but I do expect this not to happen with your other daughters, when they start at this school I don't want a repeat of this situation" Miss Drill replied, not wanting this to happen three times.

"We are not saying you even have to talk to the girls if you find it to distressing, but for goodness sake next time buy a book and tell them they have to read it" Ada went on, agreeing with Dimity she needed to learn. The woman then turned to Esmerelda instead, done with the woman, they weren't going to get anywhere.

"Are you alright now Esmerelda?" the woman asked, worried about the girl and how this would mentally affect her.

Esmerelda didn't look up but shrugged. She was upset and embarrassed about the whole thing. She didn't want this, she wanted to go back to yesterday before this happened, she still felt so sick and she hated it.

"She will be Miss Cackle, I will keep an eye on her" Miss Drill said, always wanting to protect the girl.

"Thank you Miss Drill" Ada said smiling

Ursulla looked around and then turned back to the teachers as she checked her watch as if they were wasting her time.

"Is that it? May I go now I have a meeting to go to" the woman asked. Ada knew if they gave the woman a brain transplant she still probably wouldn't of realised how serious the situation was and she was sick of her so she nodded.

"Yes thank you for coming in" she said as the woman disappeared "And good riddance" she said to the air once she had gone from her sight.

"Esmerelda if at anytime you need to talk my door is open, I reassure you, you will be alright and I am sorry you were left in the dark, hopeful this means that your sisters will be spoken to" Ada said and Esmerelda looked up for the first time. She hoped her mother had learned something from this even if it seemed she hadn't.

Her sisters were not gojg to be spoken to. Miss Cackle didn't seem to understand her mother very well, she knew it would probably come down to her talking to them, but at least they would not be terrified like she was.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said with a small smile as she stood up to leave, trying to wrap her head around the days events.


	24. Chapter 24

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Four**

"Help me I am dying miss!" a ginger haired girl mocked as she walked past Esmerelda and Lily. Lily glared at her.

"Shut up Brianna" Lily said sticking up for her friend.

Some of the girls had being making fun of Esmerelda for thinking she was dying when she was actually just starting her period. Now Esmerelda looked back on it she knew why they were being so nasty, she had really overreacted but she just had not known what was going on.

"What will you do if I don't Lily?" Brianna asked getting close to Esmie's young friend.

Esmerelda pushed Brianna so she stood away from Lily before going inches from her face and talking.

"Brianna, I am the smartest girl in our year and I read a lot of books and I know curses that could make your blood run cold, that is what I will do" Esmerelda replied. She was fed up of sitting back and letting people laugh at her, she was not going to just take it and be a victim anymore.

"You wouldn't you are to chicken" Brianna said not believing her even if she looked worried.

"Oh yeah? Just try me" Esmerelda replied. Brianna looked at Esmerelda and flinched, she remembered the prank she had pulled on the bullies before they were expelled, she didn't want to be in the same situation.

"That's it walk away" Esmerelda said and Lily looked at her friend and smiled.

"That was...wow...I thought you were...to afraid to say anything" Lily admitted. She liked her friend but didn't mean she didn't have to be truthful with her. She knew Esmerelda hated conflict and had a timid side.

"Not anymore, I am not scared of them, I am a Hallow, it is in my blood to make things right" Esmerelda said. Lily smiled and walked with Esmerelda to their next lesson, impressed. She thought it was a good thing that she was learning to defend herself.

Students must of heard about Esmerelda's little word with Brianna because after that incident no-one said anything to her about what had happened in PE. Esmerelda knew her heritage and she had always tried to refrain from going to far like her family name told her to do and like her ancestors had before her, but the fact of the matter was Hallow blood ran through the girl's veins, she had Hallow inside of her and all Hallows no matter how nice they are have a side no-one will ever want to see, and Esmerelda's was starting to come out.

* * *

After what happened to Esmerelda in PE, the girls were given classes in their individual years about puberty, it was highly embarrassing to be sat with her whole year, many of who were girls she didn't like, and for a teacher like Miss Drill to be talking about periods and shaving. The most awkward part for the blonde though was yet to come.

After a morning of these lessons, Esmerelda and Lily had some lunch before they had to go to another lesson that afternoon. This time they learned about sex, where babies come from and the love between a man and woman. Esmerelda tried to hide her disgust as she looked around. She saw most of the girls in her year were wearing the same horrified, disgusted looks that most people wore when they found out about reproduction. Esmerelda smiled, this time she wasn't behind because most of the girls seemed to be learning about this for the first time like she was. She saw a couple of the girls laughing and giggling and she suspected they already knew about it but Esmerelda was glad to be in the majority for once. She was glad it was only the first years though or things would have been embarrassing with the older students.

Esmerelda did feel sorry for Miss Drill though. She had done a lot to help her, with the bullying, and when she started her period and yet the poor woman was left alone to talk to the girls about the most sensitive topics. It made sense. Miss Cackle would be to embarrassed to do it and probably wouldn't explain it right to try and save their fragile minds, HB would never talk about such a disgusting, taboo subject, Miss Bat would end up falling asleep and Miss Gullet would somehow make the experience much more terrifying than necessary, so she really was the only option and from what she heard from the older years it was always Miss Drill who do the lessons on puberty and sex. The woman didn't seem to mind but it must still be difficult for her.

"Poor Miss Drill, she always gets lumbered with this stuff" Esmerelda said to Lily as they worked on the worksheet in front of them.

"I know" Lily sighed "But hey anyone is better than HB, can you imagine?" Lily commented and Esmerelda nodded in agreement knowing she was right, Miss Drill was an adult and would have to sort it herself if she didn't like it. Esmerelda knew she couldn't sort it for her.

After the lessons Esmerelda came to a horrifying conclusion. She was starting to grow up. She was nearly twelve and that was the most awkward age there was, she wasn't a child or a grown up she was just in between. Esmerelda didn't want to lose her childhood and have to grow up already, she felt like she wasn't ready for that, she still liked to play with her sisters and wanted to just read and have fun with them, not worry about things adults had to worry about.

Of course the girl did not know at the time that everyone in some point of their lives starts to feel like this, that their childhood is disappearing before their very eyes. It was one of the hardest moments in everyone's lives.

Esmerelda though did not have much time to dwell on this because she had an essay to do and she sat down with a sigh after a long day.

* * *

Time seemed to fly after that, a month went by and then another and another and before Esmie knew it, it was her birthday which was in May. Cackles did not do much for students birthdays, as they would have to cater to hundreds of girls and have to have parties everyday and Esmerelda expected her day to be normal and did not mention anything at breakfast but Lily smiled and handed Esmerelda a small wrapped parcel, Esmerelda opened it and saw she had brought Esmerelda a travelling mirror. Esmerelda was lost for words, having never had a friend which remembered her birthday.

"It is a portable one, so you can mirror home whenever you want, obviously be careful not to get caught with it or HB will vanish it, I know you like talking to your sisters so I thought it was the perfect present" Lily explained, smiling at her friend.

Esmerelda didn't know what happened but when she opened her mouth to utter her thanks no sound came out, she had suddenly gone mute. Instead, Esmerelda stood up and went to hug Lily, which was odd for the girl as she didn't tend to hug people. Lily smiled and hugged back and Esmerelda finally remembered how to talk.

"Thank you Lily, it is one of the nicest gifts someone has ever given to me" Esmerelda told her feeling overwhemlemed and like she wanted to start crying.

"I had to get you something, I wanted something a little more special than a book, and I thought it was perfect for you" Lily explained and Esmerelda beamed.

"You are right it is perfect" Esmerelda said as she sat back and smiled, looking at her new present.

Esmerelda knew Lily was right though, she had to be careful so she told Lily she would meet her in chanting as she needed to go put her present in her room and ran to her bedroom, excited. She hid the mirror in her pillowcase, knowing no-one would think to look there.

She was on edge the rest of the day. She wanted to go up to her bedroom and mirror her sisters, today was not a mirror day so she wouldn't be mirroring them if she didn't have her new present. She couldn't wait to surprise them,

"Esmerelda, concentrate" Miss Bat said as Esmie had being daydreaming again.

"Sorry Miss" she said with a small smile embarrassed.

* * *

Finally school was over, she said goodbye to Lily and rushed to her bedroom and grabbed the mirror, she held up the card of who she wanted to call and saw her sisters appear.

"Ethie, Sybie" she said. Both girls gasped and rushed over to her. She put a finger to her lips as she knew they couldn't be to loud.

"How are you mirroring us, it is not a mirror day" Sybil commented and Sybil smiled and explained about what Lily had got her for her birthday.

"Oh that is amazing, we sent you a card did you get it?" Ethel asked her sister happily

Esmerelda turned to look ar the handmade card, lovingly displayed on her bedside table and nodded.

"Yes, it is amazing thank you" Esmerelda said as they chatted for a while longer. Both girls wished her happy birthday.

"Happy Birthday again Esmie" Ethel said and Esmie smiled, touched.

"Thank you" she said before she stopped to look at her watch" I have to go, lights out is soon, I will call you again tomorrow, don't call me unless it is an emergency or someone might hear you" Esmerelda told them and they nodded at her and smiled. She didn't want her mirror to be found.

"We won't, bye Esmie" Sybil said with a smile

"Bye" Esmie said, hanging up, smiling. Today was honestly such a great day and she knew she would have to get something just as awesome for Lily.


	25. Chapter 25

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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Five**

Esmerelda woke up the next morning, with the biggest smile on her face that she had worn all year. Today was the start of the summer holidays, she had survived her first year at Cackles and now she got to spend six glorious weeks with the people she loved most in the world, she was so excited about going home and seeing her sisters.

Flying home in the amazing summer weather was an amazing feeling, Esmerelda flew seeing the castle get further and further away until it was only a speck of dust, she had started to like Cackles more in the last few months now that she had a friend and things had calmed down but there was no feeling in the world like being with her little sisters.

* * *

"ESMIE" the blonde heard as she flew within a metre of her house. She looked down, seeing Ethel's face get clearer as she got lower, she saw her little sister run to the door and shout.

"SYBIE SHE IS HERE" she heard her sister say and then Esmerelda saw Sybil run out the door and look up at her smiling, they both watched her, as she got lower and lower until she felt her feet touch the tarmac.

"ESMIE" Sybil now said running up to her sister before she had properly landed and practically pulling her of her broomstick as she hugged her. Ethel joined her and hugged Esmerelda's other side.

"Hi!" Esmerelda said happily, it felt amazing to be greeted like this. She was grateful Ethel was clinging to her so tightly as she had to remove her arm for a minute so she could pick up her broomstick.

"We have being looking out for you since eight!" Sybil told her sister and Esmerelda chuckled, that is why Ethel had being in the courtyard. She had being on watch.

"I am surprised you managed to get out of bed" Esmerelda replied knowing they were impossible to get up before nine.

"We forced ourselves to we didn't want to miss you" Ethel told her as they walked.

Some people, in fact nearly anyone, would find walking hard when they had two girls clinging to them as they did so but Esmerelda had learned how to do it, she moved slowly and looked more like a penguin than anything but it worked.

"How was your first year?" Sybil asked interested

Esmie thought over her answer. She had no idea how so much stuff had managed to fit into one year what with the bullying and nearly getting killed by being thrown of a broomstick and then playing pranks and the whole period incident and the curse she was under. There really only was one word to describe her year.

"Crazy" Esmerelda replied "I am just glad to be back home with my two favourite people" Esmerelda replied.

"What are we going to do this summer?" Ethel asked looking at her sister.

"We have six weeks we can do so much but how about we go to the park right now, it is to nice to stay in?" Esmerelda suggested. Both girls cheered and Esmerelda smiled happily because she knew it was going to be an amazing day. Mind you spending a day inside a bin would be amazing if Ethel and Sybil were there, she told herself.

* * *

"Last one to the swings is a rotten frog eye" Ethel said as her and Sybil started racing to the swing set. Esmerelda ran after them but knew she would not be able to beat them, she couldn't run as much as she used to be able to and sure enough when she got there they were both already waiting for her.

"You are getting old" Ethel commented and Esmie laughed and pretended to be insulted.

"Hey you!" she said casting a spell and Ethel started to scream with laughter as the spell tickled her.

"Oh I am sorry, you aren't old please stop" Ethel said clutching her stomach as she laughed and laughed, she was so ticklish. Esmerelda left her to suffer for a few moments before she lifted the spell.

"Thank you" Ethel replied giggling still. Esmerelda put her finger to her lip and pretended to look around, wearing a mischievous grin.

"I think I will tickle Sybil next" she told them and Sybil giggled sweetly and shook her head.

"NO!" She said as she ran off, Ethel right behind her not wanting to be hit with a spell as again. Esmerelda laughed as well as she chased them playfully.

"AHHHH" Sybil screamed as her sister got nearer to her. She tried to outrun her but Esmerelda got closer to her because Sybil was running out of breath and she slowed down allowing Esmie to grab her from behind and tickle her under the arm, without magic.

"NOOO, HAHAHAHHAHA" Sybil screamed out, wishing she wasn't so ticklish. Ethel appeared behind them, gasping for breath because she was laughing so much.

"STOP" Sybil screamed out in between giggles. Esmerelda stopped after a few seconds and smiled. She had missed this, just good fun and playing with her little sisters, she loved hearing them giggle so much they cried with laughter, it reassured her maybe things were not affecting them as much as she thought because of their neglect.

Their parents treatment, or lack of, upset her sisters because they never bothered with them so Esmerelda liked to fuss over them as much as possible.

"Esmie can you push me?" Ethel asked plonking herself on a swing. Esmie nodded and pushed her sister telling her to hang on. Ethel yelped in joy as she swung back and forth.

"I don't like swings they are to fast" Sybil replied looking a bit scared as she watched her sister swinging.

"Yes but they are fun!" Ethel replied, enjoying herself.

* * *

The girls must have stayed out for about an hour until Sybil fell in a puddle of mud and Ethel started laughing at her because her face was covered in it. Sybil was clumsy sometimes, so it qould be her most likely to fall.

"SYBIE" Esmerelda shouted rushing to help her little sister, she helped her up and Ethel stopped laughing as she realised that her sister was crying. Esmerelda sat her on the bench that was in the park and tried speaking to her sister who was crying badly.

"Sybie where are you hurt?" Esmerelda asked in a panic. Ethel went to join Esmerelda.

"I am sorry I laughed Sybie" Ethel said feeling bad. Sybil showed her sisters her arm and it was bleeding.

"It is okay, it is just a little cut I can fix it" Esmerelda told her using a spell to heal it. Sybil kept crying though, even when it must not be painful anymore.

"Mum and dad are going to kill me for getting all muddy" Sybil said sadly.

"I don't know cleaning spells yet" Esmerelda replied and she sighed, knowing she would get into trouble. Their parents hated mess more than anything.

Ethel looked at the mud and before she could talk herself out of it she picked some up and sneered it on her clothes.

"Ethie what are you doing?" Esmerelda asked confused

"Well if we are all muddy we will all get told of not just Sybie" Ethel replied and Esmerelda smiled at her sister.

"Very true" Esmerelda said as she joined Ethel and covered herself in mud.

"But...you will get in trouble" Sybil said shocked.

"Exactly, we are the Hallow sisters, and we will all go down together" Esmerelda told her sister smiling. They were not going to allow Sybil to suffer with their parents wrath alone, they would all stick together.

That was how the girls walked home covered in mud and looking a right mess, they walked in the summer sun, the mud only getting more dried onto their skin but they didn't care because they had each other and they were happy.

Esmerelda had no idea it was about to change though.


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: I got the idea for this based on the episode Series 2 Episode 9 Miss Softbroom where Ethel saves Miss Doomstone from choking on the frog. Enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Six**

Summer went quickly, it was weird how time never seemed to past when you were at school but just flew by when you were on holiday. The sisters had a glorious few weeks together, they went to parks and museums and watched films together, they had all gotten in trouble for getting so muddy so they had to help the servants as way of punishment, but even that was fun.

"Oi!" Ethel said as Esmerelda flicked some flour at her. They were in the kitchen helping to make dough for bread or something, they hadn't really being listening so they were not sure and Esmerelda had just threw some flour at Ethel.

"That's it!" Ethel said preparing to throw some back at her but Ethel was young and had an awful aim so hit Sybil instead.

"Oops" Ethel said and Esmerelda laughed at her sister missing.

"Why are you laughing?" Ethel asked picking up some flour from her table and throwing it over her sister.

"HEY!" Esmie said as they all started to throw flour at one another, they were having so much fun, they knew their parents hated mess but it was so fun just to make a mess sometimes, they were having so much fun they didn't notice the chef walk in and he got pelted with flour from all directions as all three threw it at once.

"Oh uh" Esmerelda said as the man looked furious.

* * *

That was how the three girls ended up sitting in their front room, covered in flour with their parents scolding them.

"You know you girls should be grateful, there are some people in this world who can't afford to have the luxury of flour and you throw it around like it is free, we did not send you in the kitchen to play silly games" Triton Hallow told them as he paced back and forth.

The three blonde girls moved their heads back and forth like a yo yo as they watched him pacing, Esmerelda wished he would stay still, she was feeling dizzy watching him.

"You are not toddlers anymore, you ate the next generation of Hallows and you should be setting an example, we will not tolerate this childish behaviour" Ursulla told her children, not happy with them at the moment.

"All three of you will clean the kitchen from top to bottom until not a speck of dust appears on my finger and I don't want anymore silly games, do I make myself clear?" Triton asked them

"Yes dad" they all chimed knowing they had no choice.

"Good get to work" Ursula told them and they all rushed to the kitchen and were soon scrubbing the floors aggressively.

"It is not fair" Esmerelda said as she wiped the floor "Lily's parents don't stop her playing, we are not harming anyone" Esmerelda said thinking her parents were way to strict, they were children they wanted to play.

"I know, I can't wait until I go to Cackles so we never have to scrub floors again" Ethel told them glaring at the brush in her hand.

"My hand hurts" Sybil complained in response, her hand hurting from all the scrubbing she was doing.

"I'm hungry" Ethel complained, wanting to stop and go have something to wat.

"I know but if mum and dad find out we are slacking we will never leave this mansion again, let's just do a good job so we can enjoy the rest of our summer" Esmerelda commented and her sisters sighed but kept on with their cleaning.

Esmerelda wondered if it was even legal to allow your children to clean floors, but even if it wasn't because of the code it wouldn't make a difference, there was not a rule in there saying parents could abuse their children, but witches were not meant to get involved with other magical families business.

* * *

The girls cleaned for hours and hours, it was super late now, even if it didn't look it because it was light out and they were only half done. Poor Sybil as the youngest was nearly falling asleep on the table she was supposed to be cleaning.

"SYBIL WAKE UP" her mother shouted as she walked in to check on her children.

"What time is it?" Ethel moaned out, exhausted.

"Ten thirty, now we are off to bed, you lot carry on" Triton told his daughters.

"But dad can't we carry on tomorrow?" Esmerelda asked, her back aching badly from sitting on the floor so long.

"No you will work until we say you can stop" the man said before transferring away and the girls gasped.

Their parents wanted them to work through the night. They could not believe it but they knew they had to or they will never leave the kitchen again.

They worked like their parents wanted them too until in the morning they finally came to release them, when they said they could go the girls nearly collapsed on the floor but instead they made it to Esmerelda's bedroom and all fell on her bed, thinking they will never stop sleeping.

The girls must have slept for hours but when Esmerelda woke up her sisters were still sound asleep, she sneaked out of her bed to use the toilet, how could her parents work them like slaves? Esmerelda thought her body would never stop aching and things would only get worse.

* * *

A week later all three girls were forced to attend a dinner with their parents and their friends. Some of their friends brought their children and it was clear they didn't want to be here either. Why they were forced to go to these things was anyone's guess, all their parents did was talk and ignore the children so it was not like they had a need to be there. Esmerelda refrained from leaning her head on her hand, knowing she would get told of for such behaviour. She glanced at her sisters and saw that same bored look on their face.

"What well behaved children" one of the parents suddenly said to their hosts and the Hallow girls tried to smile gratefully.

"Yes they are good girls" Mrs Hallow told them, liking to show off about it.

Just as they said that dessert was brought out. The children for once looked happy to have a delicious piece of cheesecake to tuck into and they tried to copy the adults by all putting their food into their mouth at the same time. The children was not sure why it mattered if they ate at the same moment or not but it seemed to matter.

The sisters all lifted their forks to their mouths and put the glorious treat in their mouths happily however, Ethel took one bite of it, chewed for a few seconds and then coughed hard.

"Ethie are you okay?" Esmie asked her concerned.

"I can't breathe" Ethel replied before the coughing turned to choking. She clutched her throat clearly struggling to breathe properly. Esmerelda and Sybil looked at their sister horrified as the girl started to full on choke.

"ETHIE!?" Esmerelda shouted not caring who was looking at her or how loud she was being.

"Esmie I think this cheesecake is raspberry!" Sybil said as she ate some of the jam on the cake in front of her, tears already falling down her face.

"Oh no" Esmie said. She wanted to kill her parents for their stupidity, she told them time and time again NOT to give Ethel raspberry as she was highly allergic, it was clear what had happened, when the dessert had entered her mouth Ethel started to have symptoms of an allergic reaction and her airways started to constrict, meaning the food had got lodged in her throat.

Without thinking about it Esmerelda put her arms around Ethel from behind and started pushing on her chest, she knew how to help someone who was choking luckily. She made sure to put pressure on her sister's back, trying to dislodge the food.

Ethel spluttered for a few seconds, struggling for breath, before the piece of cheesecake flew out of her mouth and landed in the glass of one of the guests.

"We need to get her to the hospital, it is an allergic reaction!" Esmerelda said as her sister now fell onto the floor, her whole face and neck turning into a bright red rash, her breath still raspy sounding. She wasn't choking on food anymore but she still couldn't breathe.

Sybil ran over to her sister holding an epipen Ethel had been given years ago. The smallest girl had remembered when their grandmother had shown her and Esmie how to use it in case Ethel had a reaction, she had been fairly young but she had made sure to listen and learn how to use it. And now she ran over to Ethel and stuck it into her thigh before anyone else could move. When this was administered the symptoms from the reaction were meant to die down and the sufferer was meant to recover but today it didn't work, nothing appeared to change in Ethel and she kept choking, her skin slowly turning blue and that meant Ethel was in serious trouble.

"GET HELP" Esmerelda shouted as the reaction did not go down and if they were not quick time would run out and Ethel would die. That was how serious her allergy was if left untreated and why Esmerelda had always made sure everyone knew about the allergy. Their father looked like he was annoyed because Ethel chose now to have a reaction but knew questions would be asked if she died from it when it had happened with an audience, so he rushed forward, picked up his daughter of the floor and transferred them all to the hospital.


	27. Chapter 27

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* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven**

When they appeared at the hospital, luckily a nurse was walking past and the family instantly told her what was wrong, she rushed Ethel of for emergency treatment because right now she was still infected with the allergic reaction.

"I am sorry you can't come in right now" the nurse said as Esmerelda and Sybil tried to follow. Mr and Mrs Hallow sat down and apologised to their friends for this but Esmerelda felt the anger rise inside her chest and she could barely contain herself.

"Why do you never flaming listen?" Esmerelda asked turning towards her parents and yelling at them.

"Esmerelda, lower your voice" Ursulla said, looking at her friends embarrassed.

"NO! I have told you time and time again Ethel is allergic to raspberry and it should be avoided at all costs, so what possessed you to serve it to her?" Esmerelda asked, her normally calm eyes blazing with anger.

"We forgot" Triton replied, looking at her and shaking his head.

"YOU FORGOT!? You are our parents, you should know our allergies of the top of your heads, this is not about us being fussy because we don't like something this is about us having the risk of dying if we eat it!" Esmerelda shouted frustrated and upset and worried all mixed in one.

"Mistakes happen Esmerelda! We have three children it is not always easy to remember everything" Ursulla replied and Esmerelda scoffed. If she could remember so could they, and plus as far as they were aware only Ethel had an allergy so they only had to remember one snippet it of information.

"MISTAKES WOULDN'T HAPPEN IF YOU WEREN'T BAD PARENTS, YOU DON'T LOVE ANY OF US, I HATE YOU" Esmerelda shouted and Sybil looked at her sister, biting her lip. She knew Esmerelda was being risky and even with their friends there their parents would not be able to stop themselves and might end up attacking her like they did Sybil a few months ago at Christmas when they had slapped her.

"I WILL NOT BE SPOKEN TO LIKE THAT" Triton replied standing up and getting close to his eldest daughter's face, she glared back at him not breaking eye contact, not wanting to show she was intimated by him.

"I think it will be best for us to go" one of the parents said with an awkward smile before she transferred her and her family away, before long all the other guests were disappearing into thin air, leaving only the Hallow family there.

"OUR REPUTATION IS ON THE LINE BECAUSE OF THIS BEHAVIOUR ESMERELDA" Mrs Hallow shouted as she stood up to join her husband.

"SO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT BUT YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT THE FACT YOUR DAUGHTER IS LYING IN A HOSPITAL BED WITH HER AIRWAYS NOT WORKING AND UNABLE TO BREATHE? YOU MAKE ME SICK" Esmerelda said as she turned around, grabbed Sybil's arm and walked away.

"GET BACK HERE" Triton shouted but not wanting to make anymore of a scene in the hospital he gave up and let them walk off.

* * *

"Where are we going Esmie?" Sybil asked fearfully s they walked down the hospital corridor.

"To see Ethie, we are going to wait outside the room until they let us in" Esmerelda told her as she asked a nurse which ward her sister was in and then led Sybil by the hand down the corridors to that ward. Sybil did not say much to her sister, she knew she would never hurt her but she could tell she was still furious and thought it was best to leave her.

After a few minutes of getting lost they found the right ward and room number and Esmerelda took a seat in the chairs that were outside it to wait. Sybil saw sparks shooting out her sisters fingers because she was still so angry. This was normal for witches, sometimes when one was really angry they couldn't control their magic as much and sparks would come out, Sybil was not sure exactly why but she knew it was common. That was why young witches who had not being trained in witchcraft yet were dangerous to be around when they were truly angry, they would cause sparks to shoot out and cause all sorts of magic to happen, Sybil gently sat next to her sister concerned, she had never seen her so angry before. Esmerelda was calm most of the time and even the rare times she was angry it was not so bad.

"Are you okay?" Sybil asked as she hugged her sister, knowing she was upset and angry.

"Yes sorry Sybil" Esmerelda replied, taking some deep breathes and trying to calm herself down.

"You are right though, mum and dad should have known better" Sybil said with a sigh wondering how they could be so stupid. If they wanted cheesecake so bad they should have ordered Strawberry, no-one can really taste the difference anyway but it would have made a massive difference to Ethel.

"They don't care Sybil, they don't listen so they know nothing about us" Esmerelda told her hugging her tighter. Sybil smiled slightly before speaking.

"Do you think Ethel will be okay?" Sybil asked, praying and hoping they were able to treat the reaction. She didn't think many people understood how allergic to Raspberry Ethel actually was, if she touched something raspberry by accident in a shop and then ate some food she could have a reaction just a severe which is why they all had to be so careful. The slightest little bit of raspberry could kill her.

"I don't know..." Esmerelda said, taking deep breathes because she was trying to stop herself from losing it "I have never seen her have such a bad reaction" Esmerelda admitted knowing this one had been as bad as it could get but Esmerelda could not think of the alternative to Ethel not being okay so she said nothing more and only hugged her sister.

* * *

The girls waited for an hour and no-one entered or exited the room Ethel was in, there was also no sign of their parents and Esmerelda would not be surprised if they had left, but she didn't care anymore, she was going to care and love Ethel even if they weren't, and she for one was not leaving until she knew her sister was okay and breathing again.

As the time came up to an hour and ten minutes a man left the room. Esmerelda tried to read his expression, was it solemn? Happy? She couldn't tell, but that might be because of the fact doctors and nurses were professionals at keeping their own feelings at bay. Esmerelda stood up and looked at the man.

"How is our sister?" she asked the man, not wanting to hear the answer but needing to know at the same time.

"She is fine, she is one lucky child, just a minute or so longer and her organs would have started to shut down, we got to her just in time" the man told them looking around as if looking for an adult.

"Can we see her?" Sybil asked desperately. The man bit his lip as if trying to decide.

"I am not really supposed to let you in without an adult" he told them, knowing he could get in trouble.

"Please we won't cause trouble" Esmerelda said and seeing how desperate she was he nodded.

"Alright but no touching, there is some dangerous equipment in there" he told them as he led them inside. Ethel was sat up on the bed awake and looking around.

"ETHIE!" Esmerelda screamed running to hug her "Oh thank god you are alright" the girl said clutching her heart. Ethel coughed a little, her throat sore as it always was after a reaction, plus she had been choking so her throat was in a way bruised.

"Thanks to your two's quick thinking" Ethel replied as she hugged her younger sister as well.

"We just did what we had to Ethel" Sybil told her knowing it had just come naturally when Ethel was in trouble.

"Where are mum and dad?" Ethel asked before she jumped as she saw Esmerelda's eyes turn to daggers.

"I don't care, hopefully they fell inside a hole" Esmerelda replied, her anger returning at the mention of her parents.

"Esmie had a fight with them" Sybil whispered and Ethel nodded and gulped as she kept watching her sister.

"Anyway don't worry about them, they are not worth your time Ethie, the main thing is you are okay" Esmerelda replied changing the subject.

"Thank you for saving me" Ethel said

"When can you come home?" Sybil asked, hoping it was soon.

"I have to stay in overnight so they can make sure my breathing doesn't go again" Ethel told her and Esmerelda smiled.

"Then we will stay too" she told her sister, knowing she was going to stay even if she had to hide in a wardrobe to do so.


	28. Chapter 28

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* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight**

It was hard work staying hidden in the hospital, everytime the girls took a step there seemed to be someone there, luckily they didn't have to stay hidden very long as they were allowed to visit until eight, until a nurse came to send them out.

"Come on, sorry visiting times are over" she said ushering the eldest and youngest blonde out of the room, the girls left without any fuss, knowing they would soon be with Ethel again anyway, they had planned everything.

They left the ward and made sure people saw them leave before hiding in one of the nurses medical rooms, it was a room where all sorts of medicine was stored and they had trolleys they took around the ward, witches were still learning about magical healing so a lot was still done the non-magical way.

"Come on quickly before someone returns" Esmerelda told her younger sister who looked at her fearfully.

"Will it be fast?" the girl asked scared and Esmerelda sighed. She knew she was scared and she was going to be alone.

"Probably a little but, but it is not for long, we will be with Ethel soon don't worry" Esmerelda told her giving her a squeeze of reassurance.

Sybil gulped but took a breathe, knowing they had to stay hidden, she walked to one of the trolleys and hid underneath it, covering herself with the cloth as Esmerelda did the same with another one just as they heard whistling coming from the door, at least they would not have a long wait, Esmerelda told herself.

A nurse came in and took the trolley Sybil was hiding under. Esmerelda peeped from behind the cloth, sensing her sisters fears, but the nurse would be going to all the wards, they would both end up with Ethel soon enough.

Esmerelda had a few more minutes to wait until a woman came to collect the trolley she was hiding under, she was just hoping Sybil was okay, she knew the girl would be terrified and might accidentally give herself away. Esmerelda kept quiet, peeping quickly everytime the woman stopped to see if they were at Ethel's ward yet, she had to be careful not to be seen though, if their cover was blown they would be sent home.

* * *

"Hello there, I am just here to deliver your medicine" Esmerelda heard the nurse say to the patient.

"Oh thank you" Esmerelda heard the familiar voice of her sister and cheered to herself. Now the hard part was distracting the nurse long enough so she could leave, she ruffled the cloth on the trolley hoping Ethel saw.

"OWWWWWWWWWW" Ethel said grabbing hold of her knee as she screamed out.

"What is wrong?" the nurse asked Ethel worried, wondering why she was screaming in pain.

"My knee hurts and my throat, owww help it is throbbing!" Ethel said holding her limb for dramatic affect, the nurse leaned forward to check on the blonde as Esmerelda crawled from the trolley to under the bed. Ethel made sure to keep an eye on her, not wanting her to be seen, once she was safely under, Ethel stopped acting and lowered her hand, going back to a normal stance.

"Oh...it feels better now, it must have just being a cramp, them things can be painful you know" Ethel told the nurse who glared at her for wasting her time before she carried on her way with the trolley.

Esmerelda was relieved when she found Sybil under the bed, glad she had gotten there safely, now all they had to do was hide until everyone was asleep and Esmerelda hugged her sister, feeling her shaking from fear as to what they were doing.

* * *

Eventually, everything went into darkness as lights were switched of and the girls crawled out from under the bed, they still had to be careful as nurses would be checking the ward throughout the night but mostly they would be alone. Ethel smiled as she saw her sisters emerge and Esmie touched her back which was hurting from lying on a hard floor all that time.

"I am glad everything went smoothly" Ethel said, glad she was not alone so smiling at them.

"I was scared but I was being brave, I thought I was going to give us away" Sybil replied and Esmie hugged her smiling.

"You were very brave, you were brill, Sybs" Esmerelda told her before she perched on the end of Ethel's bed as Sybil did the same.

"Do you think they suspect anything?" Esmerelda asked Ethel who shook her head.

"No, I think they just deem me as a nuisance" Ethel said before she coughed, her throat still painful.

"How is your throat?" Sybil asked concerned for her sister.

"It is painful but not as bad as it was" Ethel asked before she voiced something which had been worrying her.

"What if mum and dad get mad that you stayed out all night?" Ethel asked, not wanting her sisters to get in trouble on her behalf.

"If they care so much they can come and find us, they know where we are" Esmerelda pointed out and Ethel nodded, having to admit she was right, they knew where they all were, if they wanted them back home they would have to come and get them.

The only problem was because they had to be on guard, one girl would always have to be awake as the other two slept, the times when the nurses came in, the two girls who were not patients would hide under the bed until they were gone and Ethel would pretend to be asleep. Right now Sybie was asleep on Ethel's bed, perched on the edge as Esmerelda kept watch. Allowing the girl to be alone with her thoughts.

* * *

She always knew her parents could be a little nicer but she didn't really realise something was wrong until she started at school. Esmerelda saw the things the other girls were sent, heartfelt letters and sweets and chocolates, the girls at parents evening would cling to their mothers and fathers happily as their parents spoke to them with love in their eyes, their mother and father didn't even hug them but Esmerelda had not thought it was a problem before because she had enough love to go around for all three of them, however, recent events had made her realise their parents were not the normal type of parents. They gave them toys and expensive gifts, trying to keep them quiet and contented but wouldn't give them any physical love, only material love. Her mother had not cared about Esmerelda's period problem earlier in the yea, or that her daughter was traumatised from the experience and still to this day insisted she had done nothing wrong and now Ethel was in hospital, having nearly choked to death from an allergic reaction they had caused from their lack of listening and common sense and they were no-where to be seen.

Then there was the other stuff, the girls were told what to eat, how to dress, how to act. They weren't allowed to cry as it was weakness, they had to be mature and not mess around, mess wasn't allowed and it was droned into them studies and grades were the most important thing, not love or family.

Ethel cared so much about what they thought, so much so she was deluding herself into thinking these were perfect parents and in all honesty Esmie used to be the same way, but Esmerelda was starting to see the other side of them, and she didn't not like the people they were.

She knew there was nothing much she could do, she was just a child she couldn't exactly go live on the streets but she felt sad, sad because she realised why Ethel was so desperate for a loving mother, why she drew pictures of her loving her, she wanted it to be true, have a mother whose eyes sparkled because she is with her children, but the reality was they don't have that, they have a cold, heartless, woman as their mother who probably only had children out of family duty.

"Esmie it is your turn to sleep" Esmerelda heard Sybil say sending the girl out of her thoughts, she shook her head coming back to reality and smiled slightly at her sister.

"You can have longer if you want Sybie, I am not really tired" Esmerelda told her sister, all ideas of sleeping going out the window.

As she settled Sybil back on the bed after a lot of fussing because Sybil was trying to get her to sleep, she realised something she had never realised before and the thought shocked her, she wasn't upset, just shocked.

She made sure her sisters ate, she tucked them in at night and held them when they had a nightmare, she was mothering her sisters, she had lost her childhood a long time ago because she was doing the job their real mother had never bothered to do. She realised in that moment she was not just a sister anymore, but a mother, and she had two people that depended on her to survive, that was a scary thought and in that moment Esmerelda knew with that realisation she was never going to have a childhood again.


	29. Chapter 29

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* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine**

Ethel was released from the hospital the next day because the doctors and nurses were satisfied she was out of danger, however, Triton and Ursulla Hallow did not come and pick the girls up so they had to make their own way home. Sybil joined Esmerelda on her broomstick, hating flying and scared of doing it alone, sometimes Esmerelda did make her do it herself as she had to learn to confront her fears but at times she just let Sybil ride with her so her sister did not cry from fear.

"Ah! Esmie slow down" Sybil screamed holding onto the older girl's waist for dear life as she flew towards home.

"I can't Sybie or we will never get there, I am not going very fast" Esmerelda told her sister, already going slower than she normally would. If she slowed down anymore a snail would be faster.

"AHH I don't like it" Sybil cried out as Esmerelda flew over some trees. Esmerelda looked over to check Ethel was still on track but the girl was going slowly in the wrong direction, to busy enjoying herself and to focused on her surroundings to notice her direction. Esmerelda knew it was probably quite common for young witches to do that as they got so distracted.

"Ethie, pay attention, you are going the wrong way" Esmerelda said as Ethel turned around and said 'oh' as she noticed before she flew back towards her sisters.

"Sorry, I was looking at the sky, it looks like it is about to pour down" Ethel commented as she got next to her sisters and Esmerelda looked at the sky seeing it was dark and gloomy and the clouds were dark grey and not that standard white.

"Oh no, we best get home before we get..." Esmerelda said just as a drop of rain fell and hit her right on the head.

"Caught in it" Esmerelda finished just as it started to rain out of nowhere and pretty heavily. British weather was famous for doing that and being in the sky as it poured down was not the smartest idea.

"Come on let's get home as quick as possible, I am going to go a bit faster Sybie or we will get drenched" Esmerelda told her as she flew faster towards home, hearing Sybil complaining behind her as she got drenched from the rain. They hadn't brought a coat because it was the summer and had being warm all day, so they really were getting soaked to the skin.

* * *

It only took them an extra five minutes to get home, but when they landed each girl was wet to the bone and soaked through. Esmerelda helped Sybil down of the broomstick, checked Ethel was with them and rushed to the front door, knocking.

"Oh my" Sebastian commented as he opened the door and let them in.

"This rain came out of nowhere" Ethel commented, as she stepped into the hall and removed her wet shoes, knowing their parents would kill them if they left wet footprints on the floor. Esmerelda and Sybil did the same thing.

"Yes it is funny how that happens isn't it, how are you feeling Miss Hallow?" he asked her and Esmerelda was sad about that. That their butler cared more about her sister than their own parents did. Ethel smiled and replied.

"So much better now thanks" Ethel replied and Esmerelda cut in the conversation.

"We best go dry off before we drip all over the floor, see you later Sebastian" Esmerelda said and he nodded.

"Of course" he said as the girls rushed up the stairs. Esmerelda cast a drying spell, one she had learned at Cackles that year and it did do it's job, but only a little bit. They became half dry but their clothes were still damp, so Esmerelda did it again, allowing them to dry of completely.

"Thanks sis" Ethel said glad to be dry again.

"No problem Ethie, I can't believe we were so unlucky" Esmerelda commented, wondering how they had managed to get caught in the rain on a summer July day when they had been sweating buckets when they left the hospital.

"Just our luck" Sybil replied "That is a cool spell, can you teach it to me?" Sybil asked smiling at her big sister.

"Yes me too, I don't know that one yet" Ethel replied, loving to learn as many new things as she could and wanting to have the amazing knowledge her sister had.

"Well I haven't perfected it myself yet, it is only supposed to be used once not twice to do the job" Esmerelda replied with a shrug.

"We still want to learn Esmie, please!" Ethel said looking at her with sad eyes. Sybil looked at her sister and then did the same.

"Pretty please" Sybil said using her doe eyes on Esmie. Esmie tried to close her eyes, not wanting to give in.

"Nope, don't want to" Esmie said but then she opened her eyes, unable to help herself and saw both her sisters look at her with wide begging big blue eyes and she melted.

"Okay okay" Esmerelda said "You two are to good" she said as she sat on her bed and Ethel and Sybil jumped on after her smiling.

"We have had loads of practise" Ethel replied with a smile.

* * *

Therefore, Esmerelda spent the next two hours trying to teach her sisters the spell as well as perfect it herself. It was a lot of fun and there was a lot of giggles. Sybil did not like flying or potions very much but she did like spell casting and it was her favourite part of witchcraft.

"You are both getting so much better, if you practise it will be second nature to perform it in no time" Esmerelda told them but then stopped as she heard a noise. She looked over at Ethel and Sybil and realised they had heard it too.

"What was that?" Sybil asked as it sounded like someone was banging downstairs.

"I am sure it is nothing to worry about" Esmerelda said trying to reassure herself as well as her sisters until there was a louder bang and what sounded like glass breaking.

"That wasn't nothing!" Ethel said and the three girls all stood up and walked to Esmerelda's bedroom door, curiously, but scared too.

"Follow behind me but keep quiet" Esmerelda told her sisters as she sneaked slowly down the stairs, hearing shouting as they got closer to the source of the noise.

"Do they have to be so loud?" Sybil asked jumping as she heard her parents shouting.

"They must just be arguing" Ethel replied, rolling her eyes.

"No, there is something else wrong" Esmerelda replied, sensing there was more to the story than them just arguing. They were both shouting but it didn't seem to be at each other but at someone else entirely.

"I will not leave! I have a right to see my granddaughters" they heard someone say and the three girls looked at each other and gasped. "You didn't even tell me Ethel was in the hospital, I only found out when I mirrored called to speak to the girls and I was told, what is wrong with you, your daughter is in the hospital and you are sitting on your bums!" the person said. Angry and annoyed.

"That is gran!" Ethel whispered as she stated the obvious to her sisters.

"What is she doing here?" Sybil asked shocked and suprised. Esmie was about to reply until they heard their beloved Grandma scream out and the sound of glass once again breaking.

The girls opened the door, worried that the woman was being hurt and saw their parents with their hands pointing at her, spell casting and a smashed glass on the floor, and their grandmother ducked under the table, clearly haven't of jumped out of the way of the spell.

"NO DON'T HURT GRANDMA" Ethel shouted as she ran into the room.

"GRAN" she shouted throwing herself at her and hugging her tightly, her sisters ran up to her a second later and did the same thing.

"My girls, I am so glad to see you" she said wrapping her arms around them all lovingly. Grandma Josephine hugged the girls, glad to be visiting.


	30. Chapter 30

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty**

The sisters pulled away from their grandmother, beaming from ear to ear. Esmerelda was the first to get over her shock of seeing the woman in her house.

"What are you doing here?" Esmerelda asked still smiling as she looked at her grandmother.

"I heard that Ethel had had an allergic reaction and was in hospital so I got on the first flight that I could, I was so worried about you honey" the woman said stroking the middle girl's hair. Ethel smiled, touched she had come all the way from Australia for her.

"It is okay Gran, Esmie and I helped her, and the doctor said she is going to be okay!" Sybil said proudly, glad she had managed to help Ethel along with Esmerelda.

"I never heard the full story, what actually happened?" the woman said looking at her three granddaughters.

* * *

"And so that when when she started choking and Esmerelda did the heimlich manoeuve on Ethel and I used the epipen on her" Sybil said, explaining exactly what had happened with Ethel's allergic reaction. When they had finished explaining, Grandmother Jo gasped.

"It is lucky both of you were there or things could of being much worse" the woman said, hugging her granddaughters tightly.

"It is thanks to you gran, you were the one who made sure we were aware of what to do and taught all three of us the heimlich manoeuvre, I wouldn't of known how to do it if you had not made sure we were taught it" Esmerelda explained as she smiled, cuddling happily into their gran's chest.

"You are all very brave" the woman told them kissing each of them on the head happily.

"Why were you fighting with mum and dad?" Sybil asked innocently as she was still shocked by what she had witnessed.

"That doesn't matter honey, the main thing is you are all okay" the woman said not wanting to involve a child with things adults should be concerned about.

"You said that mum and dad never told you Ethie was in hospital and Sebastian had to tell you, is that true Gran?" Esmerelda asked not prepared to let the subject drop.

The woman sighed, all three girls had the Hallow family curiously trait and she knew they would keep asking questions if she didn't answer.

"Yes it is true, but I was wrong for being angry, it wasn't there fault, they were worried about Ethel and didn't remember to contact me" the woman said, not wanting to talk badly about their parents to the girls even if she knew that they had not stayed at the hospital.

"They weren't worried" Ethel replied looking at the floor sadly "They didn't stay at the hospital, they came back home, Esmie and Sybie stayed with me" Ethel said smiling at her sisters gratefully.

"The nurses let you stay?" the woman asked surprised as she didn't think they would be allowed.

"No, we stayed hidden, we couldn't leave Ethie alone in a hospital all night" Sybil replied, hoping they didn't get told of for what they had done.

"You are all lucky to have each other, many siblings don't have the same bond as you do, never take it for granted or let it change" the woman told them, she was so happy even now her three girls were so close and loved each other, many siblings would have gone home with their parents, saying it was not their place to stay, but Esmerelda and Sybil knew Ethel needed them.

"You aren't mad?" Esmerelda asked surprised

"No darling you did the right thing" the woman said until she realised this meant that the girls had been out all night and their parents had not cared. When she arrived they told her Ethel was still in hospital and Esmerelda and Sybil were sleeping, they either didn't even know or couldn't care less their three daughters were out by themselves, granted they were in a hospital and couldn't of come to harm but that wasn't the point, they were still out by themselves.

"What time did you get back home?" Grandma Jo asked biting her lip, trying to refrain from showing she was furious.

"About ten" Ethel replied, wondering why their grandmother was asking.

"And we got caught in the rain, luckily Esmerelda learned a drying spell at school so she was teaching us how to do it when we heard noise downstairs and came to investigate" Sybil commented, the causal way only a young child could.

"Sorry about that noise darlings, your parents were not happy about me just turning up and wanted more notice" the woman told them, knowing they had properly heard the fighting in full blast anyway so she must as well tell them the truth.

"Did they want you to leave?" Ethel asked knowing that her parents and grandmother did not get on with each other, whenever they were together they fought constantly, that was another part of the reason that Josephine Hallow had up and packed and moved to the other side of the world. When her husband, Milo, was alive both of them were very involved with their granddaughters lives, they were childhood sweethearts and had only ever loved each other. One day however the man had suffered from a sudden stroke and had passed away suddenly, it had rocked the whole family but no one more so that Josephine who had lost her husband in the space of an hour, she had wished he had being ill, she could of prepared herself, but by how suddenly it was what made the woman unable to grieve or comprehend it properly. Once he had died Jo and her son and daughter in law had started to fight more than ever and the woman was unable to cope with it, everytime she went over to see her granddaughters they would bicker, even if they were left alone for a few minutes. That was when the woman knew she had to get away, the place she lived held to many memories for her, she couldn't grieve when everything reminded her of her late husband, she needed a fresh start where she could grieve in peace, she didn't want to leave the girls but she knew that she was in no fit state to look after them when she needed to sort herself out, the plan had being to come back for them after a year or so, but it didn't work that way as Triton and Ursulla refused to give up their parental rights and Josephine tried to fight but at the time they said she wasn't well enough to have the girls, she still planned to take them with her at some point, but she was not getting any younger and it was becoming more difficult as the years when on.

* * *

"But you refused to go?" Sybil asked, thinking she had realised why her parents and grandmother had being fighting.

"To right I did, I am not leaving until I see my granddaughters, that is what I told them, that is why they were trying to scare me of by using magic" the woman told the young blonde girls.

"But it is against the code, you aren't allowed to use magic against another witch unless it is for self defence" Esmerelda told the woman, she was so angry her parents had tried to hurt her grandmother.

"I know darling, but don't worry I am fine, I am just happy I get to see my three favourite girls" the woman said, smiling and cuddling all three of them.

"How long are you here for?" Ethel asked, knowing it properly won't be long.

"Why don't I stay a week?" We can spend some of the summer together" the woman suggested, she didn't have to rush of straight away so she wanted to spent as much time as possible with the girls.

"YES! "Ethel shouted, once again beaming from ear to ear.

"Oh gran that will be brilliant!" Esmerelda replied, also beaming.

"Yes please gran!" Sybil said, wanting to spend time with her gran.

"Well why don't we start with getting you all something to eat? You must be starving if you didn't eat at the hospital" the woman said, knowing they were not allowed to snack and had to wait for a meal and had missed breakfast so wouldn't be eating until lunchtime.

"OH YES" Sybil shouted, jumping up and down.

"Great, go get your shoes and coats on" the woman told them watching them all run off happily to get ready for their day out with their gran.

She smiled and watched them knowing she was going to have a good week, she only wished she did not have to go back home again, but she had to as she had a business there. With a sad smile she followed the girls to the hall, ready to start of their day. Today was not a day to be sad but a day to be happy, she only wished her husband was here to see just how amazing his granddaughters were turning out to be.


	31. Chapter 31

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-One**

Josephine took her daughters to a local cafe for breakfast, it was one the girls had never been to before but they thought it smelled amazing and they were even happier when their gran told them they could pick whatever they wanted of the menu. All starving, they all picked a full English, well Ethel's without beans and Sybil's without bacon as they didn't like it. Grandma Jo ordered some egg on toast, not as hungry as the girls and they waited impatiently for their food.

"I hope it isn't long, I am starving" Sybil said, ready to have some breakfast and fill her aching belly.

"There isn't many people I am sure it won't be too long" Grandma Jo replied as she turned towards the eldest.

"How is Cackles?" Josephine then asked her eldest Granddaughter.

Esmerelda thought what she should tell her, that the other pupils were bullies and found her weird, the prank she had pulled on the bullies and how they had nearly killed her for it in return? How she had been really homesick and started having horrible nightmares and then bed-wetting because she was under a curse? Or how she had started her period and had a breakdown because she had no idea what was happening as her mum never bothered to explain it? Esmerelda looked at the woman and smiled as this ran through her mind.

"It is good, but I miss my sisters" Esmerelda lied, knowing her Grandmother would not be able to handle the fact she had had such a bad year, she didn't want to tell her what had been going on, in a way she felt like a failure, she was a Hallow, she was supposed to love the school, but she just didn't.

"That is great darling, I was hoping it wouldn't take you long to settle" Grandma Jo replied before she turned to Ethel and Sybil and asked how their year had been, unlike her son and daughter in law she was not going to nag Esmerelda with questions about every single thing that had happened and what she had learned.

"It was bad, we missed Esmie" Ethel sighed, looking at the ground.

"Oh I know honey, but don't worry, you can always mirror call her" Josephine said just as breakfast came and everyone stopped talking to tuck in. Sybil squeezed an abnormally large amount of ketchup onto her plate and then passed it to Esmie who put a much smaller amount on her plate, Esmerelda didn't offer it to Ethel as she detested Ketchup, so offered it to Jo instead but the woman shook her head.

"No thank you darling, I don't like ketchup" the woman told her and Esmie nodded and put the bottle in the middle of the table and they all picked up their knives and forks and started eating.

"Mmmm it is so good" Esmie said, a full English breakfast a rare treat for them.

"Especially when you are starving" Ethel replied and ate some of her egg happily.

"I am glad you all like it" the woman told them as they all continued to eat their yummy breakfast.

* * *

"Er I am stuffed" Ethel complained holding her stomach as she was really full after eating all her breakfast, her sisters did the same, filled up.

"So you don't want lunch then?" Jo asked with a chuckle

"No, I will be sick" Sybil commented

"Thank you Gran for buying us breakfast" Esmie said

"Yes thank you Gran" Ethel and Sybil said in unison

"No problem darlings, I am just happy you enjoyed it, now where do you want to go next?" the woman asked them and Esmerelda's eyes lit up.

"Can we go shopping? Please?" Esmerelda asked. Ethel and Sybil smiled too and started to beg alongside their sister.

The three girls loved shopping with the woman, it wasn't even because she brought them loads of things it was just fun to look and find something they had never seen before, most young girls shop with their parents, the only shopping the girls did with their parents was in a clothing tailors for clothes and that was not a nice shopping trip because they always ended up being pricked with pins during the alterations.

"Okay why not? let's go" the woman said as she transferred them all to the local shopping area for witches. There was shops with potions ingredients, broomsticks, robes, books, cats, anything you could think off. Sybil was instantly on the move and tried to run in six directions at once.

* * *

"Sybil stay close" the woman said casting a spell without the girl seeing. It was a spell that would cause Sybil to be unable to run further when she got to far ahead of them.

"But I want to look at everything" Sybil said, and Ethel started running off too as she saw a bookshop and Jo had to cast the spell again to make it effective on Ethel.

"I am surprised you aren't running off" Josephine said to Esmie who was happy and walking around but not trying to run into every shop like her sisters.

"I am just older now Gran, I know to stay in sight" Esmerelda replied with a shrug.

The truth was that Esmerelda had changed. She didn't know when exactly it had happened during the year but something had changed, her sense of fun was not really there anymore, she hadn't told anyone that, she knew she used to have fun, and would of ran off like her sisters but she just didn't want to anymore, she wasn't sure if it was her age or something but running around the shops just wasn't appealing anymore.

"I can see you have changed slightly, more mature" Grandma Jo said and Esmerelda smiled at her not knowing what else to say.

The was a secret she was hiding and she didn't want to tell anyone, she didn't want to upset or burden anyone with her problem, so she rushed after her sisters, acting normal.

Esmerelda was not as happy as she had once being, she was estatic to be with her sisters of course and loved them just as much that day as she had done when she first set her eyes on their scan photos but there was something inside of her which had just died, she had lost her spirit, she wasn't depressed, because she could and she was happy but she just wasn't as happy as she used to be and she was much less optimistic, now instead of worrying about things when they came she would worry about them all the time, instead of being excited she had four weeks left with her sisters she was just dreading the day she had to leave, all this pressure and expectations put on her was just making her hate studying more, and she was losing her childlike nature.

Josephine knew something was wrong but she was not overly concerned. Her granddaughter was growing up and becoming more mature she was bound to change in that time. She still was enjoying the shopping trip even if they she wasn't running around so there didn't seem to be anything wrong.

"GRAN GRAN" Ethel shouted, as she ran towards her grandmother, a look of pure excitement on her face.

"What is it darling?" the woman asked looking at her excited granddaughter

"They are selling cats, oh can I get one gran please!" Ethel asked. The girl adored cats and wanted one really badly.

"No Ethel, you will get a cat when you go to Cackles, you know that" Grandmother Josephine told her.

"But that is ages away and Esmie is going to take Morgana back to school with her, please I will look after it!" Ethel said, begging her grandmother.

"Sorry Ethel you can't, you know the rules, I am sorry, but you can get a toy cat" the woman told her and Ethel scowled, looking down folded her arms, pulling a stroppy face because she didn't get her way.

"No stropping Ethel, you can't have one, come on this is suppose to be a fun day" Grandma Jo said.

Ethel soon cheered up when the woman brought her a soft cuddly black cat toy, Ethel took a hold of it and wouldn't let go. Sybil got one too but Esmerelda decided to buy a book as her treat, her grandmother tried to convince her to get something more original but when it didn't work she brought her the book.

"Thank you" Esmerelda said, as she happily took the book and smiled. She loved reading, she could enter a new world where everything was easy and she didn't have to worry about anything, if only her life was really like that.


	32. Chapter 32

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Two**

The week just flew by and before long Josephine had to go back to Australia. She said goodbye to the girls the night before because she had a very early flight and she didn't want them to be really upset so when Esmerelda woke up that next morning, she knew her Grandmother was gone and just had to lie there for a while, upset, until there was a knock on the door, it was soft so it wasn't her parents who knocked on it like she was deaf and they needed to hit it as hard as they could.

"Come in" Esmerelda said as the door opened and Sybil walked in, her lip quivering.

"I miss Granny!" Sybil said before she started crying. Esmerelda patted the space on her bed and Sybil jumped on it next to her sister.

"So do I, but she had to go home, I am sure we will be able to speak to her soon" Esmerelda told her sister trying to reassure her. Sybil sighed but nodded sadly.

"I hope Ethie is okay" Esmerelda commented, knowing how much the girl adored her grandmother and how upset she properly was.

"I heard her crying as I walked here, but I left her, she hates it when we catch her crying" Sybil told her sister sadly and Esmerelda smiled sadly and stood up.

"Come on, she needs us" Esmerelda said as her and her sister made their way to Ethel's room and walked in without knocking anywise she will tell them to go away.

"Ethie" Esmerelda said touching her back as she found her sister blubbering into her pillow.

"Why does she not just move back here? Does she not love us enough?" Ethel asked. She always took Josephine leaving again as a sign of rejection from her, because her parents had always ignored her.

"Of course she does, but she can't just leave you know that, she has a business there and she can't just throw 200 people out of a job, she misses us too but it is hard for her being here, you know that Ethel" Esmerelda explained, as she did everytime she visited. Ethel was always distraught for days afterwards.

"Come on, we still have the rest of our summer to enjoy, let's make the most of it" Esmerelda told them trying to cheer them up, she didn't have much summer left before she had to go back to school, she didn't want to spend it with everyone crying.

"You're leaving us as well" Ethel said crying more, she took everything so personally and Esmerelda felt her heart break at the hurt tone in Ethel's voice.

"I don't have a choice, I wish everyday that I could go to day school, but you know that Hallows have gone to Cackles for generations and mum and dad would not even listen if I tried to talk to them about it, you know that they say it will bring shame on the family" Esmerelda told Ethel, needing her to know that if she had the choice, she would never leave.

"I don't want to be by myself" Ethel said, looking at her sisters with her head on the pillow.

"You aren't alone, you have Sybie, I need you here to look after her, plus thanks to the present Lily gave me I can talk to you pretty much whenever I want so I will be bugging you so much it will feel almost as if I never left" Esmerelda told her sister, trying to lighten their sad moods.

* * *

However, Esmerelda was miserable herself. She had two weeks of summer left before she had to leave again, she wouldn't mind returning to school if she could take Ethel and Sybil with her, she thought of ways, most crazy, that would involve sneaking her sisters into the school, but she knew she couldn't do that forever, someone would find out eventually and then they would all be in trouble, so there was no way around it, she had to leave.

Even though Esmerelda did try to lift their spirits the last two weeks with games and activities and spending time together, there was always something in the background that would not allow them to be as happy as they were the weeks prior, they were all dreading school starting again, and it was constantly on their minds they would be apart from one another. Even more so than last year, it had not really sunk in she had been leaving at the time.

"Mum" Esmerelda said one day after dinner. She had told her sisters to go to her room and wait for her as she had to talk to their mother. She knew it was going to be hopeless but maybe she would listen and realise the heartache she would be going through if she went back to Cackles.

"What is it Esmie? Tell me quickly I am busy" the woman told her daughter as she sorted through some papers.

"About school, maybe it would be good if I still went to Cackles but I day schooled, I mean after all, there are so many distractions at school, sometimes it is very noisy and it makes it hard to concentrate" Esmerelda said, hoping if she said her work was suffering her mum might freak out and homeschool her or something.

"Yet your grades are still perfect, we were not born yesterday Esmerelda" her father said as he appeared behind her and he heard what she said.

"But dad.." Esmerelda went on trying to explain.

"You are going back to Cackles as a boarding student full stop, I don't want to hear anymore about it, now please leave we are very busy" Ursulla told her daughter and Esmerelda hung her head as she climbed the stairs.

"I tried to get them to let me day school but they won't have it" Esmerelda told her sisters as she entered the room. She wanted them to know she had done everything she could to get out of going to school, but she just didn't have the choice.

* * *

Before long it was coming down to her last days at home. On the last day, Ethel, who had always had a problem with controlling her temper, stormed away from the table at breakfast when their parents had asked Esmerelda if she was packed.

"Ethel come back here right now!" Triton shouted after her but it was to late. Esmerelda went upstairs and found Ethel having a tantrum and throwing everything in her bedroom of selves and onto the floor.

"Ethel stop!" Esmerelda shouted at her, as she threw a whole row of her books onto the floor.

"NO, I DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN TO YOU, YOU AREN'T EVEN GOING TO BE HERE!" Ethel shouted in response.

"I DON'T HAVE A CHOICE" Esmerelda shouted, knowing Ethel was hurting but there was nothing she could do, why could she not see that.

"OH JUST GO, I DON'T CARE" Ethel shouted even if she clearly did.

Esmerelda then did something that was then very brave but quite stupid. She walked up to Ethel and took her into a hug, the younger blonde fought her, screaming and fidgeting to get away. Esmerelda moved her face to avoid getting slapped in the face but didn't let go.

"Just go away..." Ethel shouted as her composure started to break and her anger started to fade to be replaced by crying.

"I know Ethie, I will miss you too" Esmerelda told her sister as she hugged her just as Ethel started full on crying before she heard a sob in the doorway and saw Sybil watching them. Esmie extended her other arm to offer it to Sybil and the youngest ran into her arm, crying into her chest.

"I am going to miss you both, I am sorry I have to go" Esmerelda told them as they both cried on her and she allowed herself to cry too.

"Just promise to mirror us every day" Ethel said as she looked at her sister.

"I promise, I will mirror you everyday after lessons" Esmie replied as she looked at both her sisters happily.

They spent the rest of the day hanging out for the last few precious hours they had, watching a film, laughing and joking and enjoying being able to hug each other, but the hours were going fast and before long they were falling asleep, knowing tomorrow they would be apart again.

Esmerelda did not sleep a wink, she had no idea if Ethel and Sybil managed to get any sleep or if like her, they were lying in bed, watching with dread as their room got brighter as day fell upon them.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: The song in this chapter was taken from a few lines of the 90's tv show, I don't own it.

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Three**

Esmerelda landed in the courtyard at Cackles Academy, back for her second year at the school. She saw the place was packed with pupils who were happily talking to each other and catching up, having not seen each other in six weeks, or in case of the first years, nervously looking around. Esmerelda wiped her eyes, wishing she was still at home.

She had not woken her sisters that morning, it would have been to much for her to bear to see her sisters so upset at the fact she was leaving so instead she had sneaked out the house before they were awake, knowing it would be easier that way. It might stop one of them being left broken-hearted that way.

"Hi Esmie" Esmerelda heard someone say, sending her out of her thoughts and she turned around to see Lily stood before her, her hands full with the luggage she had brought and her cat carrier.

"Oh hi Lily, did you have a good summer?" Esmerelda asked her, trying to take her mind of her homesickness and trying to pretend she was fine even if her heart was shattered.

"Oh it was great, I went skiing in France with my parents for three weeks and then the rest of the time I was at home, but it was so great being with my family again, have you ever being skiing?" the girl asked her friend as they walked.

"No, but it sounds fun" Esmerelda commented, making conversation.

"Oh it is, how was your summer?" Lily asked Esmerelda the same question.

"Great, I loved spending time with my sisters and our grandmother visited we hadn't seen her in a few years, although my sister nearly died of an allergic reaction, but the rest of it was good" Esmerelda replied causing Lily to look at her opened mouthed.

"She is fine, don't worry, it was terrifying at the time though" Esmerelda told her as they walked over to the middle of the courtyard so they could line up with the rest of their year group.

"QUIET" HB shouted as everyone got into a line. The teachers were all stood on a podium, looking at the girls who were lined up by year group and Esmerelda rolled her eyes. Miss Cackle's speeches were the most boring long winding things and she saw a lot of girls around her look tortured as the woman started to speak, clearly thinking the same thing.

"Welcome to our new girls, welcome back to our old, this year is going to be brilliant, I can assure you" Miss Cackle said and Esmerelda and Lily looked at each other and smirked knowingly, as it was was common knowledge she said that every year.

* * *

After half an hour of Miss Cackle droning on Esmerelda was in her old bedroom, putting her things away, like all the other pupils in the school. She took out her picture of her and her sisters, an updated photograph that had being taken in the park that summer and put it gently on her bedside table, trying not to think about the fact her sisters will properly be waking soon and probably crying when they find her gone.

"Ethel starts next year, one more year that I have to go through by myself, hopefully it goes fast" Esmerelda said to Morgana as she stroked her familiar who purred and rubbed her head against her hands.

"I know you miss them too, you liked them didn't you? Don't wotty we will see them at Christmas" Esmerelda said trying to be optimistic. Suddenly she heard the bell ringing for breakfast, lessons started today so she had no time to relax. She rushed out her bedroom and down the stairs to eat before she lost her appetite at the food she was served.

"I forgot how bad the food was" Esmerelda said as Lily put her food on the spoon and screeched.

"Eww it literally could be used a cement" she said as she watched the grey paste food fall into her bowl and looked disgusted, suddenly Esmerelda didn't feel hungry anymore, and she had double potions first thing, she could just tell it was going to be a joyful day already.

* * *

Double potions was to be expected awful. Hardbroom acted like the girls had never being on holiday and got straight into work, the girls had had to produce a project over the summer and invent a new spell or something that could do what they wanted and today they were presenting them. Esmerelda was second and walked up to the front nervously, she hated presentations.

"For my project I wanted to look into long distance calls, you see I have a grandmother who lives in Australia, and mirror calls just don't walk properly, they are blurry and cut out quickly, so I wanted to find a better solution and that is how I came up with this" Esmerelda said holding out her project.

In her hands was what looked like a maglet, but looking closer you would see it is not one. It was a bit bigger and had buttons on it.

"I wanted to combine the idea of mirror calling and communicating through a maglet to see if I could get a better reception, I then installed these buttons in order to make the call more controllable, so first you click this green button" Esmerelda told them before she turned it back to her.

"And then you type in the name of the person you want to call and where they are" Esmerelda told her class as she delivered her project.

"And then you use the buttons here to control the signal and quality of the call and the best part is in the corner it will tell you how long left you have to talk until the call cuts out" Esmerelda said finishing explaining her project and hearing everyone clap.

"A very interesting project, well done" Miss Hardbroom told her, always one to compliment her star pupil. Esmerelda smiled slightly and took her seat as the next girl went to present her project, but Esmerelda was not listening, all she was thinking about was lessons being over she could mirror her sisters in peace.

Esmerelda liked Miss Drill, she had helped her a lot over her first year at school, but that did not mean she did not think the woman was crazy, it was the first day back and she wanted the girls to do cross country, most of the girls had only ran in the summer to get to their pudding, and because of this the girls were even more rusty when it came to PE than normal.

"Come on girls, I want to see more effort" Miss Drill said as the girls panted and puffed as they ran, trying not to fall on the ground from tiredness.

"I can't do this, I feel like I will never catch my breathe" Lily told her friend, touching her knees, exhausted from running as Esmerelda did the same, she certainty had not missed cross country that was for sure.

After that they had lunch which was just as disgusting as breakfast and some of the first yeas looked ready to cry because of what they were served, Esmerelda was not surprised the stuff was plain nasty. She was glad when she went to chanting and that the day was almost over.

"EYE OF TOAD, EAR OF BAT, LEG OF TOAD, NAIL OF CAT, POUR IT IN, TURN IT UP, POUR IT IN A SILVER CUP" The class sang, all trying to sing in tune and not sound like a screeching cat which was difficult but luckily they then got to go to the last lesson of the day spell science with Miss Gullet and then they were free for the rest of the evening.

* * *

"Talk later Lily, I am going to use your present" Esmerelda told her friend who nodded in understanding before she rushed to her room and took the mirror out from under her pillow and called her sisters. They took a while to answer and Esmerelda was starting to worry until they appeared with bright red eyes from crying.

"Hi, I can't talk long but how are you both?" Esmerelda asked sadly as she knew they had been crying.

Ethel shrugged and didn't say anything, Sybil smiled slightly before replying.

"We miss you Esmie" Sybil said before she burst into tears slowly breaking her sisters heart into a million tiny pieces.

"I miss you both as well, I am sorry I love you both" Esmerelda told them as they all made small talk, Ethel was much quieter than normal like she normally was when someone left her and Esmie did not want to force her to talk.

"I know it is hard, but a few months and it will be Christmas and then we can be together again, we can still talk everyday though" Esmerelda told them but the girls still looked sad despite this.

"Well we can talk again tomorrow, bye girls" Esmie said before hanging up only a few minutes later, her heart shattered. They had both being so quiet and upset and Esmerelda was equally suffering without them.


	34. Chapter 34

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Four**

The days went slowly, bit nothing particularly interesting happened and it was just boring days of school that the young blonde had to get through. Esmerelda though was relived, after her first year she was glad of having just a nice quiet year, but she should of known that would not last.

In mid October, just before Halloween, Esmerelda started her day like any other day, she got up dressed, had breakfast and went to potions with Lily. Today's potion was a potion to cure boils and it was one they had learnt last year but they were going over again and Esmerelda made it flawlessly.

Sports was torture as normal and chanting was boring and most of the girls messed around. That is right, it was just a normal day like any other and Esmerelda therefore did not expect that to change. After lessons she went to her bedroom to mirror her sisters when she heard a noise. She looked over and saw a piece of paper on the floor and walked over to pick it up.

"I KNOW YOUR SECRET, DO WHAT I SAY OR I WILL TELL" The note said and Esmerelda realised it was a blackmail letter. She did feel sorry for the girl who the note was intended for but she knew she didn't have a secret that would be devastating if it got out, so she therefore screwed the paper up and threw it in her bin, before she wondered if she should tell someone, some girl in the school was being blackmailed, and she might be able to put a stop to it, so she reached into the bin and took out the crumpled piece of paper, re-flattening it so she could read it again and left her bedroom.

* * *

"Hey Esmie, do you get this potions homework?" Lily asked as she left her bedroom from the doorway of her room. Esmie turned around and smiled at her friend before she walked over to her.

"Yes Lily can I have a word?" Esmerelda asked walking into he bedroom. Lily nodded and followed, closing her door, anxious.

"What is wrong?" Lily asked sensing something was up.

"Someone sent me this" Esmerelda told the girl and Lily took it, looking confused and worried.

"What secret are they talking about?" Lily asked, amazed to be holding a blackmail note of all things.

"That is the thing, I don't know, I don't have any secrets and especially not any that I would be scared of getting out, maybe they sent the letter to the wrong person?" Esmerelda commented, wondering what on earth they were talking about.

"Maybe so, maybe we should tell Miss Drill, if someone is being blackmailed it is not something I can hide" Lily told Esmerelda who nodded in agreement. They both stood up, about to go and walk out of the door when another piece of paper appeared under the door, Lily looked at her friend before picking it up and reading it.

"THE BIG REVEAL WILL BE SOON, DON'T TELL ANYONE OR I WILL TELL THE SECRET AT BREAKFAST TOMORROW" Lily read out to her friend who just looked even more confused, Esmerelda was not even scared of this person, she was just confused as to what was going on, they didn't have anything on her because she had nothing to hide from anyone.

"Maybe they know about the mirror I gave you" Lily suggested, thinking maybe that was the secret they were talking about.

"Maybe, but that is not really something big is it? It would suck if someone found it and it got confiscated but it is not something anyone will really care about, why go through the bother of this for something so small?" Esmerelda replied and Lily shrugged, just as confused as her friend. They both decided to tell Miss Drill tomorrow and went their separate ways.

* * *

The next morning Esmerelda was just sitting down to breakfast with Lily and they ate together, more quiet than usual, not upset about the letter, but more confused. Lily ate some of her porridge before coughing and pulling out some paper from her mouth.

"What in the name of Merlin?" Lily said before she pulled out a piece of paper out of her bowl, covered in the lumpy porridge and fiddled with it, opening it.

"NEXT TIME I WILL REVEAL THE SECRET, I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T FIGURED IT OUT YET, TO BE CLEAR THIS LETTER IS FOR YOU, LILY-MAE" The letter read. Esmerelda looked at her friend confused and concerned, the note was for Lily not her, the blackmailer had clearly mixed them up with their first note.

"What secret are they talking about?" Esmerelda asked and Lily shrugged, not understanding what was going on yet either.

"I don't know, I don't have any secrets, honest" Lily told her friend as the bell rang and the girls stood, to make their way to spell science.

"Maybe we should tell Miss Drill now?" Esmerelda suggested but the girl shook her head, she thought it might only make it worse.

"Thanks Esmie, but it is okay, they can't do anything to me because I don't have any secrets" Lily told Esmerelda, confused as to why she was getting letters about a secret she didn't have.

* * *

Two more days went by and not one letter found their way to Lily. The girl, and her best friend, sighed in relief, the blackmailer had clearly realised they had got the wrong person and given up.

"I told you it was a misunderstanding, they have nothing on you, they were just trying to scare you" Esmerelda commented as the girls walked to their bedrooms together after lessons.

"Well we know they are not the smartest of the bunch anyway, they sent the first letter to you by accident and they probably got me mixed up with someone else, I think tomorrow we should tell Miss Drill though, some other girl is probably receiving these letters" Lily told Esmerelda who sighed sadly at the thought of some other girl suffering.

Esmerelda opened her door and stepped into her bedroom, Lily behind her because they were going to study together, she opened the door and stopped dead as to what she saw.

Morgana was lying on a piece of paper that had not being there that morning, the thought to Esmerelda of someone being in her room scared her. She picked her familiar up and took the piece of paper, handing it to Lily.

"Maybe we should go to Miss Drill now, I thought it was over but clearly it isn't" Esmerelda told her friend and Lily rolled her eyes and opened it. She was not scared just annoyed, these stupid notes appeared in the most random places.

"Don't worry, I am not going to show these people they have won when they have nothing to use against me" Lily said as she opened up the paper and Esmerelda looked over her shoulder at it. On it was written some words, words that looked like part of a spell, and it looked like they had been copied right out of the spell book.

"What spell is that? I have never seen it before" Esmerelda commented, not realising that Lily's expression had changed.

When she first looked at the spell, she didn't click and up until that point she had thought there was not a secret she had to hide but then she realised it was familiar and she knew where it was from.

"I don't know, I have never seen it before either" Lily laughed, hoping Esmerelda did not notice the horrified look on her face.

"Are you sure? You look tense" Esmerelda commented as she saw the look on her friend's face

"I am fine, just worried about this potions essay, can we get started on it?" Lily asked changing the subject. Esmerelda nodded and they took out their books to work.

Esmerelda though could tell her friend was on edge that afternoon, clearly that note had affected her more than she let on, Lily did remember the spell she just knew it and Esmerelda then knew she did have a secret, when she left that night she promised to look up the spell to see if she could make sense of what was bothering her friend only Lily had taken the paper and she couldn't remember it, so she would have to do some detective work.


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Exactly a week today until series three starts, I hope you are all looking forward to it. I am sadly not and I don't like the direction it is going but I am still going to be writing and plan to write a lot more in 2019. So here is my last update for this year and I hope you all had an great Christmas and Happy New Year!

* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Five**

Esmerelda spent the next day trying to subtly research the spell she had seen on the piece of paper the blackmailer had sent Lily but the problem was she couldn't remember what the spell had being, she remembered the odd bits but she could not remember it in it's entirely and Esmerelda knew she did not have much time to find out if she wanted to help her friend.

The blackmailer started to make demands of her friend. They would tell her to do things that would get her into trouble or laughed at, that was how Esmerelda knew the secret must be bad because Lily was going along with it like a lapdog and she was quiet and wouldn't talk to Esmerelda about it and did not seem to be able to look at her straight.

"Where are you going?" Esmerelda asked, pausing from her reading at dinnertime when Lily stood up and walked over to the teachers table, she picked up the bowl of porridge Miss Bat was eating and put it straight on top of HB's head. Of course, the rest of the girls started to laugh but Esmerelda didn't she did not like the look on the deputy's face, she clearly was angry and more angry than normal.

Esmerelda looked around the hall at all the girls laughing, trying to figure out which of the girls was blackmailing Lily, but they were not giving anything away, they were acting the same as everyone else and she knew it would be nearly impossible to find the blackmailer. Esmie could only watch as Lily was led away to the office, knowing she was not going to say why she had really done what she had done because she was scared of the blackmailer.

* * *

Esmerelda of course felt for her friend, after all, she was being forced to do stuff she didn't want to do in order to keep this secret hidden. Esmie knew though she couldn't do anything to help her right now so she sneaked to her friends room and looked around, finding the piece of paper from earlier in her drawer. Yes now she looked at it she saw it was the same spell, she quickly jottered down the spell in her notebook and then left the room, making sure it looked like it had not being entered before she did so, she didn't want Lily to think she was snooping in her room, which she was doing but she was only trying to help.

Now she had the spell she could now properly try to find out what it was and see if she could help Lily with the blackmailer. Lily definitely needed the help because the blackmailer was only getting worse and starting to make her do things that would get her into more trouble.

In Chanting class Lily put down her bag and found a note inside, someone had clearly put it in there as she had being walking and her eyes went wide and scared as she read it, Esmerelda leaned over her to see what it said and gasped, equally as shocked, she wouldn't get expelled for doing it but she would get in big trouble.

"Lily, no you can't do that, do you know how much trouble you would be in?"Esmerelda asked her but Lily shook her head as if in an apologetic way before she sneaked out of the classroom before Esmerelda could stop her. Esmie made sure she was not being watched by Miss Bat then went after her, just as Lily entered the nearest bathroom and turned on the tap, sticking tissue in the plughole to stop the water going down the drain.

"Lily stop no!" Esmerelda told her knowing she would be in so much trouble for purposely flooding the place, when HB found out, especially after the events earlier that morning she would be expelled before she could blink, but Lily wouldn't listen to her, and of course it was only a matter of time before Miss Drill saw water coming from the bathroom, coming to investigate and finding the second year red handed. Esmerelda would of gotten in trouble too if the woman had not walked in just as Lily pushed her friend into a toilet cubicle and used magic to lock the door, making Esmerelda confused as she realised what had happened and by the time she came to her senses and walked to the door to start banging on it, Lily was being led away, but the girl did make sure to unlock the door before she followed Miss Drill.

Esmerelda knew that as soft as Miss Cackle was most of the time, Lily would still get in trouble and she would eventually be expelled if it carried on, that was why Esmerelda quickly took to the library, taking down every spell book she could find for the mysterious spell that scared Lily so much she was willing to risk her future to obey the blackmailer and stop her secret getting out.

* * *

She looked through as many spell-books as she could find but she could not find the spell in them, there was spells that were similar but not quite the same and Esmerelda began to wonder if the blackmailer had written it down wrong, it wouldn't be the first thing they had gotten something wrong after all but Esmerelda knew in the back of her mind, this time, that was not the case, because she knew she had seen that spell before.

At first when Esmerelda had looked at the spell she had not known it at all and she thought she had never seen it before, she had never heard of it and never heard of anyone using it but the more she had looked at it the more she knew she had been wrong.

She HAD seen it before. She had definitely read that spell someone during her life, something gave her a familiar nag of familiarity when she looked at it but she could not for the life of her think of where she had read it before, she was not even sure where she had read it, had it being at school or perhaps at home, during all them hours her parents had forced her to read and study hard, she had no idea, all she knew was the spell meant something to her.

Esmerelda sighed as she closed the eighth book on her lap, having still not found the spell she was after in any of her books. She leaned her head on her hand, trying to think of which book to look at next when she felt someone's presence next to her.

A first year girl walked up to her, she was wearing a green belt and Esmie had seen her a few times during the year but had no idea who she was, but now she stopped in front of Esmie looking nervous.

"Are you Esmerelda Hallow?" the girl asked her and Esmie was confused as to how she knew her name, she wasn't that well known around the school, was she?

"Yes that is me..." Esmie said confused as to what was going on.

"I was told to give you this" the girl said putting her hand out and offering Esmerelda a rolled up piece of paper. Esmerelda took it and before she even unrolled it she knew it was one of the blackmail notes, she had seen enough to know what they looked like and now she had a chance to find out more information from the girl about who was doing this to Lily in the first place.

"Who gave you this?" Esmerelda asked the girl and the young brunette in front of her shrugged.

"No idea, they had a cloak on with their hood up, I was quite scared but they told me just to give it to you and they would leave me alone" the girl said and Esmerelda sighed, she should of known it wouldn't of being that easy.

"Were they in uniform?" Esmerelda asked, wondering if she could at least find out if they were a pupil or nor.

"I didn't see sorry" the girl said before she walked off, having done what she was supposed to do, Esmie waited for the girl to leave and then shakily unrolled the paper, wondering if the person had decided to blackmail her as well.

"You are looking in the wrong place, if you want to solve the mystery, look closer to home" the letter read and Esmerelda realised then how serious this was.

The blackmailer was clearly spying on her and Lily. They somehow knew she was looking for the spell and had yet to find it, it must be someone at Cackles then, no-one else would have such good inside knowledge of the place, the thought she was being spied on was terrifying to Esmerelda but she tried to put that worry in the back of her mind and focus on the letter.

"Look closer to home?" What on earth did that mean? Esmerelda wondered. Did they mean that the answer laid in the Hallow mansion, but how would they know that unless they were spying on the house as well? The thought of her little sisters being watched scared the blonde more than anything but somehow it didn't seem quite right, she wouldn't be able to solve the mystery because she attended boarding school and couldn't just go home everyday, she supposed the blackmailer could be tricking her but someone she got the impression they wanted her to solve the mystery, the question was, what on earth did closer to home mean?

Esmerelda took the letter and left the library, trying to think of what the riddle meant as she did so, she thought of everything that the note could mean but only drew a blank, wondering if she would ever solve the mystery as to who the blackmailer was and the spell Lily was so afraid off.

The blackmailer was smart, despite the fact they had messed up at first by giving the letter to the wrong person they were clearly clever and cunning. That meant Esmerelda had to think deeper, for Lily's sake she had to solve this riddle, and if she did that she was sure she could solve this whole mystery.


	36. Chapter 36

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Six**

Esmerelda spend the next few days watching Lily get into trouble and trying to stop her act up, knowing she was getting closer to expulsion with every crime she committed. Esmerelda wanted to kill the blackmailer, they were making her life hell and now playing games with Esmie, saying she had to look closer to home to find the truth, whatever that was supposed to mean.

Esmerelda had spent hours thinking about anywhere that could be considered closer to home. The places near her house she would visit with her sisters, areas close to the city she lived in but she had no idea what the person meant by closer to home.

Therefore she went to her bedroom that day with a sigh. She was disappointed she couldn't solve the riddle and any more hints from the blackmailer had stopped with that last message so Esmerelda had no idea what to do. She sat down on her bed and stroked Morgana, frustrated with herself and this blackmailer for doing this.

"What are we going to do Morgana? I don't want Lily to get expelled over this" Esmerelda said to her cat as she gently stroked her on the head and the cat purred, pushing her head into her hand to try and make her owner feel better.

Esmerelda sighed wondering why she was talking to a cat, sure cats, particularly witches cats were smart but even her cat couldn't whisper the solution to the problem to her, she stroked her cat lifting her head up when something caught the corner of her eye. She kissed Morgana on the head and them moved her of her lap so she could stand up and walk over to her desk.

On the desk was the updated picture she had from that summer of her, Ethel and Sybil all together, but that was not what she was focusing on. It was the part of the mansion she could see in the background. Her home.

When she was at school their bedroom, was pretty much the place the students called home. It was the one place they could have peace and the one place that was their personal space for them alone. The girls spend a lot of time in their bedrooms, relaxing, doing homework, or just generally living.

"Morgana, what do you think? Do you think that the blackmailer meant here?" Esmerelda asked as she picked the picture up and turned around to face her cat who was looking at her in an interested way.

Could it really be her bedroom? Closer to home? She had a picture in her bedroom of her at home but how would they know that? Then it hit her. The blackmailer had being in her bedroom before, they had left some of the notes in her bedroom for Lily, and maybe they caught sight of the photograph lovingly displayed on her desk.

"I think we have solved the riddle Morgana, but where would the answer be in here?" Esmerelda wondered aloud as she put the photograph down and looked around her bedroom.

Her wardrobe. No. That was just full of clothes. Her bedside table was also not right because that was just used to store trinkets, nothing in there could lead her to the identity of the spell she was looking for. She then turned her attention to her bookcase, starting to wonder.

"I suppose it will not hurt to look" Esmerelda said to Morgana as she lifted down the first heavy leather bound book of her bookshelf.

* * *

The only problem was that Esmerelda had more books then most people properly had in a lifetime, she had so many they wouldn't all fit on her shelf and she had some piled up on the floor, having nowhere else to put her books. Her family were obsessed with reading, as was she and Ethel but Sybil not so much. She had books from birthdays and Christmases, old books her grandmother had given her and could properly open her own library if she wanted to. She didn't know why she hadn't thought to look here before the school library, maybe because most of the books she had were old, and she didn't think the spell would be in an older edition book.

Even so she knew she would have to look through the books to find out about the spell. She had a feeling the answer lay in one of the books she had lying around here, the hardest part would be finding it.

It wasn't in the advanced spell book, or the beginner spell book she had. She looked through older books and newer books but there spell was not in there and she sighed. She still had so many books to look through. She would be here for days if she went through all of them. The spell was not in any of the spell books she had looked at so far so she started to wonder if it was a spell not widely used or not a standard type of spell.

"I think I am still looking in the wrong place Morgana" Esmerelda said to her cat but the cat was not listening. She was happily sitting on a book that Esmie had placed on the bed and was enjoying her new bed.

"Morgana you are not helping" Esmerelda said as she laughed softly. Trust Morgana to find enjoyment out of something that was stressing Esmie out. Esmerelda tried to shoo her cat of the book and it was only as she did that she noticed the title.

It was a book of curse spells. Esmerelda started to wonder if this is the place that she should be looking. The spell was not in any of the normal spell books so she wondered if she was looking in the completely wrong place. Maybe the spell had being used on someone Lily loved and it had cursed them.

"Morgana, please move I need that book" Esmerelda said trying to pull the book out from under her famaliar but the cat just purred and stayed lying on the book, thinking it was a game. Esmie picked her cat up and took the book.

"Here have this one, I don't need this one" Esmerelda said placing another book where the one she had taken had been. Morgana looked at Esmie in an insulted way but did go and sit on the new book she was given.

"Good girl, now let's see here" Esmerelda said as she opened the book and started to read through it, having a feeling she was about to find the answer to her questions in this book.

She looked through the majority of the spells, not finding any identical to the one she was looking for and wondered if she was still looking in the wrong place.

"I don't think it is here either, maybe the blackmailer is messing with me" Esmerelda told her cat as she kept flicking through the book, looking for the spell.

She read about spells to give someone zits, spells to change someone's hair colour, spells for giving someone a cold, there was spells of loads of silly childish pranks all throughout the book but nothing that looked promising. Esmerelda was wondering if she should bother carrying on looking when she turned the page and stopped dead.

* * *

She took out the piece of paper she had written the spell on and compared it to the one she was looking at on the page she was looking at and smiled. It was the same, finally after all that effort she had found the mysterious spell she was looking for but when she looked at what the spell was, her smile dropped of her face in seconds.

 _ **Bed-Wetting Spell**_

 _ **Make your enemy wet the bed each time**_

 _ **they fall asleep, even if they wake**_

 _ **they will not be able to move**_

 _ **until they are soaked through.**_

Esmerelda dropped the book in shock. She knew that spell sounded familiar, she had looked it up during the time she was cursed, that was why she could vaguely remember it but this only confused Esmie.

Was Lily cursed with this spell? Is that the secret the person was using against her, or had Lily cast this spell on someone herself? As she sat there, trying to think of what made most sense she came to another conclusion, Maybe Lily was the person who had cursed her. That would explain why she would not talk to Esmie about it.

"No don't be silly Esmie, that was the evil girls that got expelled" Esmerelda told herself but she wasn't so sure. Lily and her had not always being friends, if them girls had scared her she might of done what they told her too, even curse their classmate.

Esmerelda couldn't get the information she just found out of her head and rushed out of her bedroom door, she had to find Lily and find out the truth to what this curse meant to her friend. Even if she had a feeling the truth was going to hurt.


	37. Chapter 37

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Seven**

Esmerelda rushed out of her bedroom and over to Lily's bedroom before she knocked on the door, hoping her friend was in her bedroom. At first Lily didn't say anything at all and Esmie thought she wasn't there until she heard her say 'come in' in a small timid voice, clearly wondering if her blackmailer was at the door. Esmie opened the door and walked in seeing Lily's shoulders relax as she saw who it was at the door.

"Oh it's just you, I thought it was going to be another note" Lily told her friend, relieved.

"Lily...I know" Esmerelda said to her friend, knowing it was time to find out the truth and she didn't want to put it off. She wanted to get this conversation over with.

"Know what?" Lily asked looking confused at her friend.

"About the spell, I know what spell it is, I found it in one of my books in my room" Esmerelda told her friend who didn't say anything, clearly in shock.

"Why are they blackmailing you with this spell? Was someone you know cursed? Or did you use it on someone?" Esmerelda asked her friend who gulped, clearly hoping Esmerelda would not find out the truth.

"Well….I can't..." Lily said looking down at the floor like it was suddenly interesting.

"Lily….you can't expect me to just forget about this….you know that spell was used on me last year and we weren't friends at the time" Esmerelda told her friend and Lily looked at Esmerelda biting her lip, knowing she had to tell her something.

"I should have known you would find out the truth, after all you are the smartest person in our year" Lily stated and Esmerelda did not know, and could not tell by her tone if she was saying it in a spiteful way or not.

"Don't underestimate a Hallow, we will find out the truth if we really want to, now spill, tell me everything" Esmerelda said, her tone growing more impatient with the girl.

"Okay fine I will tell you everything, you are right, that spell is the whole reason I am being blackmailed, it does mean something to me" Lily said in response to Esmerelda.

Esmerelda looked at the girl and folded her arms, waiting impatiently for an explanation.

"I was the one who cursed you with it" Lily went on and finally Esmerelda knew the truth. She had being cursed last year by Lily. She felt her anger rise but tried to remain calm, wanting to hear the whole story before jumping into a fight.

* * *

"I suspected that you had something to do with that, why did you do it?" Esmerelda asked, knowing it probably had something to do with the girls who had bullied her last term.

"The gang of girls threatened me, they told me they would start on me if I didn't obey, I know that sounds bad but I didn't want to be bullied so I went along with it" Lily said knowing how bad it sounded even as she said it.

Esmerelda was angry. She had gone through months of embarrassement and worry last year over that stupid curse and Lily's excuse was something selfish. Esmerelda knew they had not being friends at the time but it was a low thing to do to anyone.

"Do you know what I went through? Being laughed and mocked, I thought there was something wrong with me, and all the time it was a horrible prank" Esmerelda said shaking her head and pausing before she kept on talking.

"Why did you not say anything, once we became friends?" Esmerelda asked her, wondering why she had not come clean to begin with. If she had Esmerelda would of being angry but she could of realised Lily had made a stupid mistake, it was the fact she had hid it from her for so long that she was angry.

"I didn't realise they would keep the spell going so long, they said it would be a one time thing and then they would lift it, I only found out once everything came out last year" Lily said as if that somehow made it better.

Esmerelda looked at Lily and in that moment she knew the girl was lying. She had two younger sisters, one of which was masterful at lying when she wanted to and Lily was lying in that moment, her lips were moving, and she looked edgy as if trying to think of the story on the spot.

"You are lying….you knew they weren't going to drop the curse didn't you?" Esmerelda commented, coming to that conclusion because she didn't know what else she would be lying about.

Lily suddenly stared at Esmerelda with a blank expression and Esmie had to admit she was confused as to why she was looking at her like that. She looked quite scary in that moment, a look she never would of guessed she saw of Lily.

"What?" Esmerelda asked, feeling odd by the way Lily was staring at her.

"You still don't get it do you?" Lily asked confusing Esmerelda even more.

"Get what?" Esmerelda asked, more confused than she had ever being, she had no idea what Lily was talking about. She knew Lily was lying but how was she supposed to know why she was lying?

"I did use the curse on you, because it was my idea to do it" Lily said looking at the girl and smirking as if it was a joke.

* * *

"And may I ask why?" Esmerelda asked before she finally had a brainstorm. Memories and stuff rushed through her head in that moment.

How she thought someone was watching her, knowing someone had being in her bedroom, the blackmailer giving the note to her, how the blackmailer had known she had that book in her bedroom, something didn't add up and Esmie came to a horrifying conclusion.

"Wait….who are you…..the blackmailer it…." Esmerelda said not understanding what was going on.

"Well done, yes I am the blackmailer, all the notes and everything I did myself" Lily told Esmerelda as she smiled.

"But why would you blackmail yourself?" Esmerelda asked her, not understanding that part.

"Because I had to pretend to be blackmailed to get your attention, I had to make you feel sorry for poor little timid Lily" the girl said putting on a sweet expression and small voice, her voice hard turned hard and mean "and then you would solve the riddle yourself, I couldn't tell you outright the truth now, it would spoil my plans" Lily said and hearing the word plans scared Esmerelda.

"What plans?" Esmerelda asked even if she kind of did not want to know the answer.

"It was easy when they were still here to hide, I was on the sidelines, pretending not to pay you any attention when really I was the mastermind behind it all, the curse, pushing you off the broomstick, all the things the girls did to you, I thought of them" Lily told her revealing she was not who Esmie thought she was.

"Wait...you worked with Delilah and that lot….and you allowed them to be expelled?" Esmerelda asked equally shocked the girl had not stuck up for her friends. Lily suddenly laughed, a cackling evil laugh.

"Then girls were a bunch of idiots, of course I wouldn't take the fall for them" Lily replied. "I don't need them anymore" Lily said and Esmerelda realised then that the girl cared about no-one but herself, she had betrayed her friends and with that Esmerelda knew she had to do something, she had to leave, now she knew who Lily was she did not want to see what she was capable of. Lily had being playing games with Esmie the last year, the true mastermind behind everything last year and throughout this year. Esmerelda rushed to the door to escape, but it was locked tightly.


	38. Chapter 38

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Eight**

"Come on Lily let me out of here" Esmerelda said pulling on the door handle as hard as she could. When that failed she lifted her hand to perform a spell but Lily ran in front of her and smirked.

"I wouldn't do that Hallow, you don't want to anger me" Lily told the blonde, glaring at her as she smirked evilly.

"What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?" Esmerelda asked failing to understand why this girl hated her, they had never even spoken until they became 'friends', Esmerelda did not know why she would hate her.

"You took what was rightfully mine Hallow, so now I am going to take something from you" Lily replied, confusing Esmerelda as she had not taken anything from Lily, or anyone else.

"I don't have anything of yours….I have the mirror but you gave that to me" Esmerelda replied wondering what on earth Lily meant about what she had said.

"I am not talking about that stupid mirror, I am talking about that!" Lily said glaring at the belt wrapped around Esmerelda's waist and Esmie looked down still confused.

"You want a purple belt?" Esmerelda asked as her friend has a green one. She wouldn't of done all this over a stupid house colour would she.

"Oh you idiot, you don't get it do you, I don't give a stuff about the colour, I was supposed to be head of year" Lily shouted, growing impatient with the girl.

Esmerelda looked at the girl like she was mad. She knew most girls, apart from the ones who hated responsibility, would off loved to be head of year bur the fact of the matter was they based it on who scored highest at the selection day exams, the fact Lily had scored lower than her was not her fault.

* * *

"It isn't my fault I scored higher than you at the entrance exams though, what do you mean it is rightfully yours? I won it!" Esmerelda replied angrily. She could feel her anger rising because the girl was making it sound like she snuck into her bedroom and took the belt of her the first day of term.

"My family is quite like yours Hallow, an old witching family, not quite as old as yours but still a well known family" Lily replied as if that answered what Esmerelda had just asked.

"What is your point?" Esmerelda asked wondering what that has to do with anything.

"Whereas your family is famous for the Hallow name and morals and your wealth my family is famous for another reason, every year since witches in my family started attending this school, the witches from my family would always be the girl chosen to be head of year, there has never being a year without a witch from my family that did not have one as the head of year" Lily replied bitterly towards Esmerelda.

"Look I am sorry, that is awful I broke your tradition, but you can't blame me for beating you, I wasn't trying to beat anyone, I was just trying to make sure I passed my entrance exam and I happened to win the top grade" Esmerelda told the girl truthfully. She had at the time just wanted to make sure she got into Cackles, she hadn't done it on purpose, she had just happened to make her potion correctly and be graded the highest mark, anything could of gone wrong but luck was in her favour that day.

"That day, I made my potion perfectly, it was the best potion, you didn't seem to be seeing it as a competition, you were calm but I wasn't, I wanted to win, I needed to win for my family, whenever I saw one of the girls make a potion wrong I couldn't help but feel happy, I knew that most of the girls were hopeless at potions and I knew that title was mine" Lily said and Esmerelda looked at her, listening to the story.

"HB and Cackle hated most of the girls potions, most of them didn't work right and the ones which did were unimpressive to say the least, but then they got to my potion and they were beyond impressed, it was a level 8 spell and I had made it flawlessly, I shouldn't of got excited to soon because I was wrong to think I had already won, there was only you left to show your potion" Lily told Esmerelda, glaring at her the whole time.

Esmerelda tried to remember Lily from selection day but she couldn't everyone had being to focused on task to talk to to many people. It was hard to remember that day when everyone was just worried about landing a place in the school.

"And then they went over to your potion and if they liked mine well they loved yours didn't they, they said it was the best potion they had ever seen a first year produce and gave you 98% for it, you had gone a bit wild on the gillyweed apparently and the affect was slightly to strong, but your score was almost perfect, I got 97% you had beat me by one tiny mark" Lily told the girl, looking at her with a deep hatred in her expression.

"I didn't tell my family, hoping over the summer they will add up the scores wrong and I will still be head of year but then on our first day they gave it to you, and for the first time, my family had failed at meeting up to their tradition" Lily told Esmerelda.

Esmerelda listened and did in a way feel guilty, she could sense as Lily spoke to her how much being head of year had meant to her but something just didn't add up to Esmie, would she really do all this over a stupid bit of gold trim on a belt?

"So all this is because you didn't get to be head of year? Nearly killing me, cursing me, making my life sheer hell….over a belt?" Esmerelda asked, wondering if that was only the tip of the iceberg and there was more to the story.

"It is not just a belt, my family were ashamed of me once they found out, they have never have looked at me quite the same way since I told them I was not head of year and some Hallow girl was, thinking I am the failure of the family because of it, and then you just had to go and be little miss perfect didn't you, the teachers fussed over you from the first day you were here" Lily told Esmerelda, blaming her for all the pain and shame she had being through these last two years.

* * *

"I hate people treating me like that, it is not my fault, I don't try to be a know it all you know" Esmerelda told Lily, frustrated with her for putting her through all this hell for such a stupid reason.

"I don't care whether you like it or not, you have destroyed my families reputation and made me a laughing stock, though I will admit that was not when my hatred for you really started" Lily told her friend and Esmie looked at her confused.

"When did it start then?" Esmerelda asked, wondering what she meant.

"It was when you started the flying club, flying was one thing I was flawless at in this school, the best in the flying club, and then you came along and made me a nobody again" Lily shouted, so angry at Esmerelda.

"I didn't want to join, Miss Cackle forced me because she wanted me to make friends, it is not my fault" Esmerelda told Lily, wondering why she couldn't see that.

"I don't care what you wanted, that was the moment I started to hate you, you have to be better at me at everything don't you? That was when I decided I needed to seek revenge!" Lily glared at the girl.

"Look I am sorry I..." Esmerelda said, trying to explain.

"I don't want your stupid excuses, I am making the rules now" Lily told the blonde who looked at her, growing concerned.

"What does that mean?" Esmerelda asked, worried.

"I already told you, I am going to take something from you like you took something from me" Lily told the girl and before Esmie could so much as blink robes were binding her wrists together and she was being tied up in a corner.

"AHH Lily get these off me" Esmerelda fussed but she knew it was not good. Lily was staring at her wearing a deadly look, and she knew she had big plans for her and Esmerelda was worried about what she was going to do to her.


	39. Chapter 39

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* * *

 **Chapter Thirty-Nine**

Esmerelda fussed with the robes surrounding her and then she wondered why she was sat there fussing in the first place, she was a witch, she could just cast a spell and escape. The blonde therefore started to say a silent spell, so Lily would not see what she was doing but suddenly found herself screaming.

"OWW" Esmerelda said as Lily touched her on the arm, causing a small round burn to her skin, it was the same type of burn as if someone had burned her with a cigarette.

"Aww you not like?" Lily commented and Esmerelda glared at her. She had lost her concentration from the pain but started to think of a spell again, to escape, she had a feeling that burn was only the beginning.

"Now you took some much from me, I need to take something from you equally as bad but what can I take?" Lily said out loud as she paced, smirking as she spoke.

"What is it you want?" Esmerelda asked but her question was not answered as she was left screaming again when Lily shot another curse at her and she felt like she had been winded.

"Hallow you talk to much, do you know that?" Lily said shaking her head as she carried on with her pacing, as if thinking what she should do to Esmerelda, even though Esmerelda had a feeling she had that all planned out already.

"Maybe I should mirror your precious sisters, they might want to speak to you before it is to late" Lily said knowing speaking about the younger Hallows would strike a nerve with Esmerelda.

"LEAVE ETHEL AND SYBIL OUT OF THIS" Esmerelda shouted as she fought with the robes. She tried to concentrate on performing a spell only her fear was making it impossible to perform it. She waited until Lily had turned around in her pacing and then took a chance, doing a quick spell, but Lily turned around like lightening, as if she had been waiting for it.

"Don't make me angry Esmerelda" the girl said as she walked towards the blonde, eyes dark with anger and Esmerelda sighed, she wished Lily would hurry up with whatever she was going to do.

Esmerelda opened her mouth to reply and then all of a sudden felt a spell hit her face and like someone was punching her. Lily was clearly smarter than she looked, she was using magic to beat the girl. Esmerelda cried out but then was unable to make any sound because she tasted something in her mouth and realised she was bleeding.

* * *

"I told you not to make me mad, we can play this nicely or we can play this the hard way, you choose Hallow" Lily said as she dropped the spell and Esmerelda coughed, feeling blood run down the side of her mouth where her lip had cut.

"Please leave me alone" Esmerelda sputtered out, trying to talk through a mouth of blood.

"But things are just getting exciting" Lily told the girl with another evil smirk, as Esmerelda felt another spell hit her and something wet on her nose, and she realised now she had a nosebleed as well as the rest.

"You know Hallow, you really shouldn't leave that curse book lying around, you never know when it will get into the wrong hands" Lily told the girl as she stepped over to stand in front of her and smirked.

"It isn't lying around, it is on MY bookshelf in MY bedroom" Esmerelda replied in a stutter because she couldn't talk properly.

"Yes well, our rooms don't have locks on them so it is kind of out in the open, you never know who will be walking past and get curious" Lily said and Esmerelda wanted to slap herself for her stupidity, she should have made sure that book was out of sight because now someone crazy like Lily had gotten a hold of it and could use the spells in there against her.

"Oh dear, you know for someone smart you are quite dumb" the girl said turning away before she shot yet another spell at her unsuspecting victim, Esmerelda felt such a deep pain in her stomach she almost struggled not to start crying, she didn't want to cry in front of Lily and give her the satisfaction but she also knew she would soon if this carried on.

"What is the matter you weakling" Lily said as she kicked the girl in the stomach then without magic. Without magic it was actually much more painful and the girl this time did start to cry at the pain in her stomach at that.

"Please you can have the belt just let me go" Esmerelda cried out, wondering if Lily was going to hold her here until she killed her. Lily looked at the girl as if she was trying to decide whether or not to agree but then laughed, an evil cackle.

"Why would I agree to that? It takes away all the fun of watching you squirm" she told Esmerelda as the young girl started to full on cry now, not knowing how she would get out of this situation, she knew using magic would make things worse but right now she didn't think she had much choice.

"You don't have to do this...you can be a good person...you have being these last few months" Esmerelda told her, trying to make Lily see sense and that this was not the right thing to do, she didn't have to act like this, she had the choice.

"And I hated every second of it, it was so hard to keep up that charade when all I wanted was to seek my revenge" Lily said before she happened to glance her make-up bag in the corner of the room and smirked again.

"You know Esmerelda, you really need to work on how you present yourself, that is not an attractive look" Lily told her friend as she looked at her bloodied face. Esmerelda though was insulted, she always took pride in her appearance because her parents always expected her to look prim and proper, she didn't wear make-up yet but she was still young, there was time for that when the time came, and obviously she looked unattractive right now because she had blood all over her face.

Lily walked over to her desk and grabbed her make-up bag and Esmerelda watched her with a sigh, at least she can't do any damage with that stuff, she thought to herself.

* * *

Esmerelda though wished she had being more prepared because she was very wrong. The girl clumsily put mascara on her eyes, and ended up getting the product in her eye, causing Esmerelda started to scream out as her eye burned and then she felt Lily grab her and start forcing the make-up on her face.

"Get off!" Esmerelda complained as she felt the girl writing something on her forehead, She didn't know what she was doing but she could feel it.

"Lily stop it" Esmerelda fussed, trying to get the girl to leave her alone, her eye was hurting and she wondered if she had an infection but Lily didn't stop, she kept going until she stood up and laughed, admiring her handiwork.

"There we go that is better" she said as she looked at the awful make-up she had put on the girl and Esmerelda wondered how awful she actually looked, she knew she would look bad, she looked bad before with her bruises, but she wondered what she had being writing when she grabbed her.

"Beautiful, this will be the next trend" Lily said as she laughed and Esmerelda fought the ropes harder, risking another spell as she was got terrified about how far this will go.

"I SAID NO MAGIC" Lily shouted grabbing the girls arm and turning it so it hurt her, Esmerelda cried at that, her tears leaving marks on her face.

"Lily I am sorry, I am sorry about everything, please just let me go" Esmerelda said, prepared to do anything to stop Lily and feeling so scared.

"To little to late, now to carry out my full plan" the girl said with a smirk and Esmerelda recoiled by the look she was giving her. She had no idea how long this would last but she wished it would just end.


	40. Chapter 40

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty**

Esmerelda continued to fight the robes that were binding her arms down, knowing she had to escape before she ended up being killed, Lily though was not finished yet and walked over to the other end of her room and opened up a drawer on her dresser, pulling out a handheld mirror, identical to the one Esmerelda had got given by her for her birthday.

"I didn't know you had one too" Esmerelda said hoping if she kept the girl talking she would get to distracted to do anything else to her.

"I don't it yours, I stole it from your bedroom" Lily said casually as if she was telling her she had decided to use her bat eyes in potions and not steal one of her possessions.

"HEY GIVE IT BACK" Esmerelda replied, feeling her arms burn as the ropes tugged on her.

"I am just borrowing it Hallow, geez some people don't know how to share" Lily said as she turned towards the mirror and held up a card to it, Esmie could not see what it said and could not see the girl muttering a spell under her breathe as she looked at the mirror in her hands.

"Lily, this joke isn't funny anymore, just let me go right now!" Esmerelda shouted, tugging more on the robes, trying to get away desperately.

Suddenly though Esmerelda stopped pulling on the robes and stared at the mirror the other girl was holding in shock, Ethel and Sybil were on there, Lily clearly having of called them.

"NO" Esmerelda shouted, not able to cope she was bringing this problems between them and involving Ethel and Sybil. The eldest sister did not want her sisters to see her like this so she looked away, trying to hide her face.

"Aww what is the matter Hallow? I thought you loved your sisters, don't be so unscociable, say hello" Lily said as she took the mirror to Esmerelda and grabbed her arm, forcing her to look at the mirror. Ethel and Sybil saw the state of their sister and were mortified.

"Esmie?" Sybil cried, tears already filling her blue eyes because of the state her sister was in at that moment.

Ethel had not said anything, she was just staring at Esmerelda with her mouth open, lost for any words.

* * *

"I am okay, don't worry" Esmerelda said, hoping they didn't see that she was anything less than okay and she was really scared.

"W….what happened?" Ethel managed to stutter out as she looked at her sister, still shocked.

"I…..." Esmerelda said looking at Lily, wondering if she should risk telling them she was being held hostage, Lily might flip out and injure her even more than she was before.

"What your sister is trying to say is I did this" Lily said looking at the mirror and laughing at the poor younger girls horrified faces.

"W...why?" Sybil asked barely refraining from bursting into tears at what she was seeing.

"She messed with me, so I am messing with her, now what will be the ultimate revenge?" Lily said out loud, looking around as if she was wondering that and then she looked back at Esmerelda, as if deciding in that moment what would be the best revenge.

"I know, what would hurt you the most?" Lily asked Esmerelda and Esmie looked at her blankly, she had a bloody, bruised face and she expected her to tell her which injury was hurting her the most, was she just crazy? The girl wondered.

"No answer? Well you don't have to tell me I already know" Lily said and before Esmerelda could figure out what game the girl was playing now she heard Ethel and Sybil scream as they were suddenly thrown hard into the floor onto their backs.

"ETHIE, SYBIE!" Esmerelda shouted, seeing her sisters falling onto the floor and hearing them scream, causing her own heart to shatter.

"Seeing your sisters in pain, that is the worst pain for you isn't it?" Lily replied with a laugh as she watched the two young girls squirming and Esmerelda freaking out.

"NO LEAVE THEM ALONE!" Esmerelda shouted, unable to physically watch her sisters being hurt. She started to cry more than ever at the torture she was seeing happening.

"Calm down Hallow, they are only some stupid kids" Lily replied, rolling her eyes as if Esmerelda was being a nuisance.

"They are MY stupid kids, leave them alone, LEAVE THEM" Esmerelda shouted, pulling and tugging against the ropes and suddenly the mirror call cut out and Esmie was back looking in a normal mirror, not knowing if her precious sisters were injured.

"NO CALL THEM BACK, I NEED TO SEE THEM" Esmerelda screamed, feeling much more pain over what she had just seen than any of her injures.

"I don't think I will" Lily said loving to mess with the girl and Esmerelda felt something inside her snap in that moment.

It was anger, pure anger. She had let Lily abuse and use her for the last few hours, but now the girl was hurting her precious sisters and it was something she would not allow, no matter who had done it, no-one could get away with it. With that she managed to produce a spell in her anger and she felt the robes binding her wrists snap because of it. The blonde stood up and Lily looked at her, clearly this had not being part of her plan.

"What are you doing?" the girl said clearly in shock as to what had happened.

"YOU WILL NOT TOUCH MY SISTERS WITH YOUR DIRTY HANDS YOU BITCH, IF YOU MY ACTIONS" Esmerelda yelled, wondering how she had got so angry about this. She had being scared before but now she was just angry.

"What did you say to me?" Lily asked squaring up to Esmerelda and getting into her face.

"I SAID, STOP BEING A BITCH AND DON'T THINK ABOUT MY SISTERS AGAIN" Esmerelda yelled, pushing the bully and the girl fell into the chair on her desk. Esmerelda did not wait around to see if the girl was going to get up, she left the bedroom, coughing as she felt the blood in her mouth. She didn't know what the best cause of action would be, she didn't want to go see the likes of HB and Cackle and in that moment she didn't really care about herself, she only cared that her sisters were okay and not injured, so she decided to make her way to the mirror room in order to check that. She ran as fast as she could, not caring if she got in trouble for running in the corridors.

* * *

She ran, with blood and tears going down her face, needing to know Ethel and Sybil were okay and having a bad feeling they were really badly injured. She cried and cried, feeling like she was getting further away then nearer to the mirror room, she was so preoccupied she was not looking where she was going and ended up falling onto the floor after running straight into something, she didn't know what she ran into but it felt kind of soft but hard at the same time.

"Esmerelda are you alright?" she heard Miss Drill ask her worried and Esmerelda looked at the woman and saw she was holding a bag with some balls in and realised that is what she must have ran into but she had not much time to think about it because Miss Drill gasped when the young girl looked at her.

"Merlin's beard, what on earth happened?" the woman asked as she caught sight of the young girl's face.

Esmerelda suddenly started to cry, not from pain, from fear and worry about her sisters.

"My sisters are injured, I need to see them please let me" the girl said and she grabbed onto the woman and cried, not caring about herself in that moment, only Ethel and Sybil.

Miss Drill just stared at the girl not knowing what to say so she did the only thing she could think of, transfer away so she could get the girl help.


	41. Chapter 41

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-One**

Miss Drill and Esmerelda landed in the hospital bay, where a very concerned young nurse ran over to Esmerelda when she caught sight of the pupil, Esmerelda though was in a panic, she was further away from Ethel and Sybil and they could be injured.

"NO, MY SISTERS ARE HURT, LET ME SEE THEM" Esmerelda screamed, making to run off but the nurse put her arm in front of her stopping her, that was the moment Esmie wished she could transfer herself, she then could leave without being stopped.

"LET ME GO, MY SISTERS NEED ME, LET ME GO!" Esmerelda screamed crying hysterically as she was refused to be allowed to leave, Miss Drill, and the nurse looked concerned, a lot had clearly gone on to send the girl into such a state.

"You can't go anywhere looking like that, come on let me have a look at your injuries" the woman told her and Esmie cried and shook her head, she knew she needed medical treatment but she needed her sisters more in that moment.

"I will mirror your sisters Esmerelda and check up on them, just let the nurse have a look at your injuries alright?" Miss Drill said and Esmerelda cried more but fell silent, knowing it was pointless to argue.

"I will get Miss Cackle, she needs to know about this" Miss Drill said to the nurse in a whisper before she transferred away, leaving Esmerelda with the nurse.

"Right, let's get you cleaned up" the nurse told her and Esmerelda sat down, worried about her sisters and feeling a sense of dread inside of her.

* * *

The woman was just about to start to work on the young girls injuries when there was another popping noise and Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh my goodness, what on earth happened?" Miss Cackle asked as she caught sight of the young teenager.

"Are my sisters okay?" Esmerelda asked, ignoring the question and instead asking after Ethel and Sybil.

"What do you mean?" Miss Hardbroom asked, not understanding where she had come out with that.

"Miss Drill said she was going to check on them, I need to know if they are okay!" Esmerelda replied, feeling tears fall out of her eyes again.

"We have not heard yet dear, can you tell me what happened? How did you end up in this state?" Miss Cackle asked and Esmerelda gulped wondering if she should risk telling the truth or not, obviously if she was going to lie she had to think of a good lie as she was obviously very battered up, so because she didn't want to say the wrong thing, she stayed quiet.

"Whoever did this will be servely punished Esmerelda, you can bet on that" Miss Hardbroom replied, knowing maybe the girl was fearful about what would happen to who had done this.

Esmerelda still said nothing because the nurse in that moment started to clean the blood of her face and she flinched as she touched her.

"Sorry sorry, it will sting, I have to disinfect these injuries" the woman told her as she gently started to dab at the blood.

"Can you not just do magic?" Esmerelda asked, wondering why the woman was going through the effort.

"Not for this, it is hard to make sure I disinfect everywhere with magic" the nurse replied before she turned to the teachers, whispering again.

"Do you recognise the writing?" the woman asked, looking at the writing on the girl's forehead which read 'Freak' in eyeliner. Miss Hardbroom looked at the writing and nodded.

"I recognise it but I can't think who it is, let me go do some research, excuse me" the woman said lifting her hand and disappearing into thin air again. Miss Cackle also whispered something to the woman and then disappeared, leaving the nurse to tend to the injuries.

"What happened to your eye?" the woman asked concerned as it was red and bloodshot, Esmie blinked, only now remembering the pain she was feeling by it.

"Make-up got in it..." Esmerelda told the woman and the woman sighed, the girl could have an infection, she would be able to treat it but it would be sore for a while.

"Don't worry…I can help you...it will be painful but I can help" the woman told her and Esmie sighed, knowing getting the injuries was only the first part of the pain she would receive.

"You know Esmerelda...whoever did this would be in serious trouble...they would be up before the Great Wizard,...we can't let them stay here to do this to someone else...do you know who did this...can you tell me?" the nurse said but Esmerelda shook her head, scared what would happen if she told it was Lily.

"Esmerelda?" the woman said but the girl shook her head and the nurse nodded and carried on cleaning up her face, knowing she would tell when she was ready and she couldn't force her to tell right now.

"Why is Miss Drill taking so long? Are my sisters hurt?" Esmerelda asked starting to panic about why the teacher was taking so long to mirror her sisters and worried it was because she was putting of telling her what she found.

"I am sure she is just making sure they are okay, try not to worry" the woman told the young blonde but she didn't know Esmerelda well, she would always worry, that was in her nature.

* * *

Esmerelda sat there for a good twenty minutes being prodded and cleaned up, by the time the woman had finished and Miss Drill was still not back Esmerelda was about to run of when there was another popping noise and Miss Hardbroom reappeared, looking beyond annoyed.

"Is everything okay Miss Hardbroom?" the nurse asked, looking concerned by the look she was wearing.

"I think I have discovered the person with that handwriting" she told the woman and Esmerelda looked at her biting her lip.

"Esmerelda's friend….Lily" the woman said and Esmerelda sighed, she should have known she would be discovered.

"Am I right?" Miss Hardbroom asked because the girl had not said anything in response and she only nodded.

"She wanted revenge because I am head of year, she was using me….." Esmerelda told the woman, knowing there was no point lying about it.

"The only thing is, the girl has disappeared" Miss Hardbroom replied and Esmerelda looked at her surprised, she knew when she had left her she had being on the floor after she pushed her so she didn't know she was missing now, she must have ran off once Esmerelda left the room.

"I don't know where she is Miss" Esmerelda replied, looking at her hands awkwardly.

The woman looked at her and then started to speak in the same slow voice she normally used.

"We will need you to come to Miss Cackle's office so we can discuss this, we need to know what happened" the woman told her and Esmie nodded, having expected that.

"I need to see Miss Drill first" Esmerelda said as she stood up, to go find Miss Drill. She opened the door of the hospital bay and left, only then hearing footsteps coming towards her, she backed into the door scared of who it was until she saw whoever it was round the corner.

"ESMIE" the girl heard, as her heart started to beat faster and faster as she realised her sisters were running towards her, had Lily hit her on the head and she had blacked out and was dreaming? She wasn't sure but in that moment she didn't care.

"ETHIE, SYBIE!" Esmerelda screamed, grabbing them into a hug as they got closer to her but then she heard other voices and her happiness evaporated.

"Come on Esmerelda, we have work soon so we need to discuss this now" Ursula Hallow said as she stood there with her husband Triton.


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: I know Miss Gullett is not in the series anymore but this takes place before she was fired or the events with Agatha as Esmerelda is still only a second year, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Two**

The Hallow family and Miss Cackle and Miss Hardbroom all made their way to the headteacher's office. Esmerelda hugged her sisters happily, glad their parents had brought them and not left them at home with the servants.

"Can you make this quick? We have to be getting to work soon" Trition announced as he entered the office with his wife. Miss Cackle nodded, knowning it shouldn't take to long to find out what happened, she still wondered why her parents had brought her sisters though, they normally wouldn't bother.

"And we need to get the younger two home, they overheard us talking to Miss Drill on the mirror and ran over just as we were transferring" Ursula replied and Esmerelda looked over at her sisters and smirked, that explained why they had ended up coming, but Esmie was glad she had missed them so much.

"That is okay, Esmerelda do you want to explain to us what happened?" Miss Hardbroom asked looking at the eldest daughter as if waiting for an explanation.

"It was Lily, I thought she was my friend but she wasn't. For the last week she has being blackmailed and I was trying to find out who it was and what they were blackmailing her about, I found out it was about a spell, a curse spell she had used on me, that was when I found out she was the leader of that gang who had bullied me last year and she had pretended to be my friend to get close to me and seek revenge" Esmerelda explained to everyone in the room and Ethel and Sybil looked at her sadly, they had not known that the girl had being bullied, she had tried to keep her awful first year a secret, knowing it would hurt the younger two to know she was suffering.

"What did she want revenge for?" Miss Cackle asked, trying to keep her talking now they had a bit of information.

"Not being head of year, her family has always being head of year or something so she was annoyed I beat her score at selection day" Esmerelda replied sadly, holding her sisters as she spoke.

"That was how I subtained my injuries, she beat me up with magic and then put make-up on my face, I got away because I managed to break the robes and I will admit I then pushed her and she fell over but then I kept running so I didn't know she was missing" Esmerelda went on, admitting to everything that had happened. Ethel and Sybil started to cry as Esmerelda spoke about being tortured, but Esmie started to cry more.

"She mirror called my sisters and then cursed then, I didn't know if they were injured or not because of it, that was why I was so distraught" Esmerelda told the people in the room, no-one had interrupted at that point, just listening to her story.

"But Esmie she didn't call us" Sybil said and Esmerelda looked at her confused, she didn't understand.

"Yes she did, you were both thrown backwards by a curse and then she ended the call" Esmerelda told them but Ethel shook her head.

"No-one called us, we would remember Esmie" Ethel replied and Esmerelda realised then that it must have being a trick, she had being putting up the illusion she had called them. Esmerelda realised then she should not have being so hazy with getting angry about it.

* * *

"She tricked me…." Esmerelda replied with a sigh, she had thought it was so real, but her father started talking sending her out of her thoughts.

"This brat beat up my daughter, what will you do about it?" Triton asked, wanting the girl punished for the way she had treated a Hallow, Miss Hardbroom was the one to reply.

"Right now Mr Hallow nothing, we can't find the girl, we can't punish someone who is not here" Miss Hardbroom went on, stating the obvious.

"Well you better find her soon because I want something done about this" Ursula replied, wanting action to be taken which surprised Esmerelda, she didn't think they would feel so strongly about it.

"Rest assured we will be punishing the girl severely" Miss Cackle told them, not wanting them to be panicking about what would be done, if anything.

"It better be, I will not allow this to make our family name any less worthy, the girl has to learn she cannot mess with Hallows, we have a reputation to uphold" Trition said, talking again and making Esmerelda sigh in frustration.

She should have known this was not about her at all, this was about embarrassing the family and making a laughing stock of them, it didn't matter about her, this was all about their reputation.

"That won't happen Mr Hallow, as soon as Lily is found, we will make sure she is severely punished" Miss Hardbroom said just as there was a knock on the door.

* * *

Miss Gullet walked in looking annoyed as she entered the room, there was someone behind her and she spoke before anyone could ask anything.

"We found the girl trying to escape through the woods, she didn't get very far though when we found her" Miss Gullet said as she pushed Lily to the front of her and the girl looked up at the teacher, anger clear on her face. Esmerelda grabbed hold of her sisters tighter, not trusting Lily.

"Thank you Miss Gullet" Ada said as the ginger haired woman left. Ada tuned her attention to Lily looking anything other than happy.

"We have being told everything, this behaviour is unacceptable" Ada said, looking at the girl with a look of pure anger.

"She pushed me!" Lily shouted as she rolled up her sleeve, showing a nasty bruise on her arm.

"I was defending myself, she tied me up and beat me, I had to do something!" Esmerelda retaliated, not wanting the girl to turn this on her.

"Esmerelda already admitted to pushing you, but clearly it is Esmerelda who has the worst of the injuries" HB replied, knowing Lily was the one who had come of lightly compared to Esmerelda.

"When you have a fight someone always gets the worst of it, not my fault she is weak and can't fight!" Lily replied, looking over at Esmerelda and smirking evilly.

"Them injuries were done by magic, the nurse looked her over and could see that, please do not lie to me Lily, we know what happened" Miss Cackle went on and Lily smiled and nodded.

"Alright fine, if you want the truth I did it, I beat her up, she deserved it though for beating me out of what was rightfully mine" Lily replied, glaring at the teachers as if she hated them for liking Esmerelda's potion better at Selection Day than hers.

"Esmerelda made the best potion, that isn't her fault" Ethel butt in, sticking up for her sister.

"No one asked you for your opinion you brat!" Lily shouted and Ethel looked away, falling quiet but Esmerelda started talking.

"Don't you talk to my sister like that!" she said standing up, prepared to beat Lily up, not caring if her parents and teachers were watching.

"Oh why not what will you do?" Lily asked but HB transferred between them before talking.

"Sit down Miss Hallow right now!" she said and Esmerelda took a seat, hugging her sisters again, she could sense her parents eyes on her but she didn't care in that moment.

"Thank you, now I don't know what you were thinking Lily but I will not have that behaviour that my school, please pack your things, you are expelled" Miss Cackle told her and Lily snorted, uncaring.

"Whatever it is crap here anyway, good riddance" Lily said spitting on the floor before leaving the room. She slammed the door for good measure.

"Thank you Miss Cackle" Esmerelda said but by the way her parents were looking at her she knew that her arguments today were not over and they would be having a go at her.

"You are lucky I am not punishing you for fighting back, but I think after circumstances that won't be fair, you may go, but try not to get into anything else like this" Miss Cackle told the girl who stood up, smiling slightly and leaving with her arms around her sisters.


	43. Chapter 43

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Three**

Esmerelda looked at her parents as she stood up and left the room with her sisters, knowing they were about to have a go at her, she hated the fact they only cared about their reputation but she learned that fact years ago. The three daughters left the room with their parents and once they were out of earshot Triton and Ursulla started.

"Esmerelda this behaviour is unacceptable" Triton told his daughter, and the eldest looked at him, wondering which part of it he deemed unacceptable.

"Why what did I do?" Esmerelda asked, wondering if they were annoyed at her for allowing herself to be trapped and attacked by Lily or trying to attack her in the office.

"You trying to fight with the bully, you are a Hallow, we don't start getting into silly fights with people, imagine this got out, it is unladylike like to fight" Ursulla replied and Esmerelda sighed, wondering why they were making such a big deal of this.

"She insulted Ethel" Esmerelda replied, explaining what had made her so mad.

"If you attack someone everytime someone says a bad word about your sisters you will be fighting everyone" Triton told her logically.

"And remember Esmerelda the family reputation is what we always have to maintain, it is important to remember who we are" Ursulla told her daughter who sighed, she wished they would care less about the Hallow name, she honestly thought most people would not care about her having a disagreement with some other pupil, only her parents seemed to care so much.

"I am sorry mother, father, it won't happen again" Esmerelda told her parents, knowing full well it was better to just apologise, even if she thought she was in the right, dealing with her parents angry was a nightmare.

"I am glad you have realised your mistake" Triton said, glad he did not have to argue with her more about this, he knew Esmerelda was stubborn and would sometimes try to fight them.

"Right, I think we are done here, work calls, you two come" Mrs Hallow told Ethel and Sybil, the youngest two faces dropped, not wanting to go yet, they had being with Esmie under an hour.

"Aww mum can't we stay a little longer?" Sybil asked

"Yes we want to see Esmerelda's room, and Morgana" Ethel replied, holding onto her sister's arm to try and prove her point.

"No we have to get home to drop you two off and then go back to work" Triton told them, his eyes darkening in anger at his daughters answering him back.

"Well we can stay for a bit and then get someone to transport us home" Sybil suggested, wanting to see Cackles and wanting to spend time with her oldest sister.

"We said no! We are going home now, I don't want anymore of this silly behaviour" Ursulla told them, becoming angey. The three sisters sighed, knowing they had lost this battle. They hugged each other and their parents waited impatiently.

"That is long enough, we don't have all day" Triton told them and Ethel and Sybil sighed as Esmerelda kissed their heads and then they walked towards their parents and only had a split second to wave before their parents transferred.

* * *

Esmerelda felt her anger boil over in that moment because she was angry at her parents for taking Ethel and Sybil, they had not seen each other in months, they wanted to all be together just for a bit, but they were more concerned with their stupid jobs than they were about their children's feelings, and that was the moment Esmerelda promised herself not to get so caught up in her work when she was older and had a job, she took the steps two at a time, not sure if Lily had gone yet, and not caring, she went into her bedroom and slammed the door, sitting on her bed, stressed out.

"Why do they ruin everything?" Esmerelda asked Morgana who looked at her timidly, able to tell she was in a bad mood, the cat let her owner stroke her head though, wanting to help her relax.

"I wish gran still lived here, at least she doesn't ignore us and skip of to work, they irritate me so much" Esmerelda told her little cat who only looked at her sadly.

"I miss Ethel and Sybil so much it hurts, it is going to be ages until I see them again" Esmerelda said before something entered her head and she gasped out loud, making her poor familiar jump and the cat meowed angrily at her.

"Sorry Morgana, I just remembered, Lily took my mirror" Esmerelda said, looking in her pillowcase to make sure it actually had being her one and this was not another one of her tricks, she saw that it was indeed true, her mirror was not there. Esmerelda ran out of her bedroom and next door without knocking, she opened the door and looked around.

"NO NO!" Esmerelda shouted as she looked at the room.

It was completely bare, there was no possessions or bedding on the bed. Lily had clearly already left which made sense, the girls were not given long to pack their things when they were expelled. In a panic, Esmerelda started throwing open the drawers and the wardrobe.

She knew it was silly. It was after all only a mirror. But it was more than that, none of the girls had a phone, she couldn't just text her sisters and ask if they were okay, being able to talk to them every evening had kept her sane, she sometimes only spoke to them for a few minutes but knowing they were okay had calmed her and stopped her panicking over them. Without the mirror she was going to lose her mind with fear something had happened to them.

"No she has taken it" Esmerelda said as she looked around the room and could not find the mirror anywhere, she started to shake with frustration and hurt as she realised Lily had taken the mirror with her and then a flashback came back to her head and she was shocked by what she realised.

* * *

" _I need to take something of yours"_ Lily has said repeatedly, she would never say what she meant, all the stuff she had done to Esmerelda was evil but she had taken nothing from her with it, her face was going to heal, Ethel and Sybil were not injured and it was Lily who had lost out because she had being the one to get expelled, that was when it clicked with Esmerelda.

Lily was crafty and Esmerelda came to the conclusion the plan, Lily's whole revenge plan had of course being to teach her a lesson by tormenting her and scaring her but that was not everything, she wanted to do something that would have a permanent affect on the girl and that is why she had decided to take the mirror from Esmerelda, she knew how much it meant to her and how the girl was way to over attached to her sisters, Lily knew what made Esmerelda anxious and she knew the girl having no way to communicate with her sisters was what would make her panic and anxious, and Lily had being right because Esmerelda had come to rely on the mirror as a form of safety. She didn't always have a long talk with Ethel and Sybil, but being able to tell they were okay was what kept her sane and made her able to deal with being away from them.

Esmerelda sat on the bare bed, feeling defeated. She knew she shouldn't be getting upset over something so stupid but she couldn't help it, she felt on edge not being able to talk to Ethel and Sybil whenever she wanted, she would be able to talk to them on mirror days sure but it wasn't the same thing. Esmerelda sighed and walked into her own bedroom.

"It is gone Morgana" Esmerelda said sadly and Morgana went over to her, to comfort her again, able to tell she was no longer angry but just sad, the bullies always seemed to get one over on her and Lily had taken the mirror out of spite, she had taken the head girl status from Lily so Lily took her only solid way of communicating with her sisters. Esmerelda cuddled her cat and just hoped the year went quickly, she was going to struggle with going back to only speaking to Ethel and Sybil weekly.


	44. Chapter 44

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Four**

Now that Esmerelda had lost her mirror and was not able to talk to Ethel and Sybil as much as she was before, this meant the girl was left alone with her own thoughts most of the time, but this was proving to be a bad thing.

Esmerelda would not be able to tell anyone exactly the pinpoint moment that things had changed, because even herself she did not know the answer to that, all she knew was her mind was starting to get full of doubts and with this her happiness was going.

She missed her sisters yes, but that was not the whole reason for why her mental state was becoming affected, it was everything. The teachers and her parents expecting her to be perfect at everything, trying to make sure she was always following the code perfectly and not breaking any of the thousand rules, and then there was her dysfunctional home life and the way she was used as a pawn by her parents to make themselves and the Hallow name appear better, her first year at school had being a disaster, and her second year was not going any better. The whole thing with Lily had shaken her up, and she realised with all the things she could do well, the one thing she did not seem capable of doing was friendship, the thought made Esmerelda sad as she watched all the girls and their friends, happily walking around together and talking.

The blonde could feel herself becoming more sad and more distant from society, of course this was already occurring last year, because she had been afraid her grandmother would notice, but the fact of the matter was it was getting worse, her smiles were few and far between and she threw herself into her work to try and hide the way she was feeling, at Cackles putting on an act was quite easy, after all, that was what the majority of girls in the school did and pretending she was fine was rather easy, so what if she didn't feel good about herself? She was a teenager now, and that was normal for teenagers, being a teenager was hard for Esmerelda, she didn't know what was normal and what wasn't, was it because of her age or was something wrong with her? She wished their was solid ways to find out.

The thing was mental health in the witching world was not something that was really understood or spoken about. Although in the non-magical world times had moved on and people realised that having a mental health problem did not mean the person was crazy and these sufferers were outcast from society, the magical world, like in many ways, was still behind with this. It was still a taboo subject, Esmerelda could only imagine her parents reaction if they discovered not one but two of their daughters might be suffering with this, their family name would be mud and even though Esmerelda did not care as much about it as Triton and Ursula, she still didn't want to be known as coming from a family of freaks, so she kept quiet.

* * *

"At least we still get to speak, it could be worse" Sybil replied as she tried to be the one to be optimistic as Esmerelda told them they could not speak everyday anymore because Lily had taken the mirror she used. Both the younger girls were sad, but Sybil was trying to see the positive.

"It won't be the same" Esmerelda replied with a sigh, in that moment she was unable to see the positive side, even if she wanted to.

"Esmerelda….are you alright?" Ethel asked concerned. She knew her sister was sad because she was not going to be able to mirror Ethel and Sybil whenever she wanted but she seemed more sad about it than would be deemed normal, she seemed miserable and Ethel was worried with everything that had happened in her school life, it was finally getting to her.

"I still have four months until I get to leave this place, that fact is upsetting me" Esmerelda told her sisters, she wished sometimes they were not so close because then they could not see through her like paper, like she could with them.

"Try not to worry about it Esmie" Ethel replied with a sigh "I know things have being bad for you up until now but at least they can't get any worst" Ethel replied and Esmerelda sighed, Ethel had no idea that it already had gotten worse.

"Ethel is right Esmie, you have to stay in school, you don't have a choice, so you might as well try to make the most of it" Sybil told Esmerelda feeling sad because she knew that Esmerelda was not happy, but she also knew there was no point in Esmerelda spending the last few months being miserable, she had to live there so she must as well try and make the most of it.

"I know Sybil but it is hard, I hate being here alone" Esmerelda replied with a sigh before she wondered if she should tell them about her mental state, she had not told them how she had being feeling recently, having not wanted to worry them or even for them to turn their backs on her because of the way witches saw mental health, but Ethel and Sybil were there two people in the world she would talk to about it.

"Ethel, how is your mind recently? Any more depressed thoughts?" the blonde asked her sister, trying to start a conversation going, she didn't want to come out and tell them her fears straight away.

"It is on and off Esmie, everyday is different" Ethel replied with a shrug as she looked at Esmerelda suspiciously, it was a random thing to ask out of the blue. "Why do you want to ask?" Ethel asked looking at her sister.

Esmerelda looked at her sisters, her two most favourite people in this universe, the two people she would trust with her life and knew it was time she came clean, Ethel had being brave enough to talk about when her mental health had gotten bad bad she had to do the same.

"My mind has not being good the last few weeks, I don't know if we are suffering from the same thing Ethie but this does not seem to be going away, I thought it was all because of what happened with Lily, but I don't think it is, it seems deeper than that" Esmerelda told her sisters, focusing on a spot on the ground as she didn't want to see if they started to cry.

"Oh Esmie...you have spent so long worrying about my mind when you have being suffering with your own" Ethel said feeling bad.

"I know, but your health is still more important to me, I just thought you both should know, I don't like hiding things from you" Esmerelda told them and the girls nodded.

"Thank you for trusting us Esmie" Sybil said letting tears fall as both of her sisters had now told her their mind was bothering them and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Don't cry Sybie, I am fine, I am not going to do anything stupid, but you two mean everything to me, I hate lying to you and pretending everything is fine when it isn't" Esmerelda explained but Sybil still cried, unable to help herself. Ethel started then as well, making Esmerelda question if she had made the right decision.

"Ethie, not you too" Esmerelda said with a sigh, hating to see either of her sisters upset, let alone both.

"Is it my fault?" Ethel asked as she cried "Did I give you whatever I have?" Ethel asked as the thought entered her head and she could not help but start crying, she honestly would not wish anyone to live with a mental health issue, it was horrible and the thought Esmerelda might of inherited one of her to something was to much for her.

* * *

"What? No of course not Ethie! Don't think that…..we have both just suffered a lot, that is all, this isn't your fault Ethie!" Esmerelda told her feeling awful that she thought it was. Esmerelda did know sometimes it could be inherited but she wouldn't of got the gene from Ethel, it would of come from the family genes.

"I am sorry Esmie" Ethel said crying more really upset and she couldn't stop now she started.

"Don't be sorry you didn't do anything wrong Ethel" Esmerelda told them, hating that Ethel blamed herself, the fact they both were suffering was just bad luck, it was not anyone's fault.

"Listen, neither of you can say anything, you know how they reacted last time, they will react the same way, keep it quiet, I am fine I just wanted you both to be aware" Esmerelda told her sisters who nodded and wiped their eyes.

"Don't worry, we wouldn't be that stupid" Ethel told her sister remembering how much their parents had freaked the last time, this time would be no different.

"Your secret is safe with us!" Sybil said and Esmie let out a breathe, relived someone at least knew.


	45. Chapter 45

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Five**

Esmerelda woke up and got out of bed to get ready for the day, it was early bur she wanted to have some time before the craziness of the day started, she cuddled Morgana for a few minutes before dragging herself to the bathroom to get washed and dressed for school.

Before long she was sat in the hall, eating the daily porridge, also known as paste, they served. She leaned her head on her hand and used her spoon to play with her food. She was bored and lonely, yes she knew Lily had turned out to be an evil bully but during the times when they were friends she had being good company and now that kind Lily was gone and Esmerelda was left alone. She did eat her food because HB was walking around and looking at her suspiciously so she eventually forced some of the paste into her mouth. How a magical school could make food taste like cardboard was amazing to her but she was glad when it was finished, not having to eat anymore. She put her bowl in the wash pile and then made her way to potions.

"Today we are going to be doing a free style potion, I want to see how you are all progressing, so you all have an hour to make a potion of your choice, you may begin" Miss Hardbroom told the girls and Esmerelda tried to decide which potion she should make, she didn't want to make one that would get her bullied again for being a teachers pet, so she tried to think of something less impressive and decided a translator potion will work well. It wasn't one that was to hard and it would still impress HB without the potions teacher wanting to put it on the daily news because she had done something so amazing.

The girl chopped her ingredients, concentrating and making sure she was following the instructions correctly, she didn't want a detention with HB because the woman didn't like her potion so it was important she made sure she was doing it right.

* * *

An hour later and her potion was a tan colour, the colour it was meant to be. She heard Miss Hardbroom tell the class to stop working and then she started walking around to inspect the potions, reaching Esmerelda she looked at her, making Esmerelda fearful, HB had a way of making you scared even if you didn't do anything wrong. Esmie gulped as the woman looked at her, standing over her.

"And what potion have you made Esmerelda Hallow?" the woman asked her and Esmerelda blinked, telling herself not to say something stupid.

"I made a translator potion Miss Hardbroom" Esmerelda replied. Miss Hardbroom looked at her curiously and then nodded.

"Very well, please demonstrate" the woman told her and Esmerelda smiled and put a spoon in her cauldron, getting some of the potion and then trying it, it tasted funky like all potions do, well most of the ones she had tried did but then she was speaking.

"Me llamo Esmerelda, tengo trece anos" Esmerelda said in spanish, finding herself naturally knowing the languauge even though she had never studied it before. She smiled as she had been slightly worried her potion would fail and HB clapped, meaning she must be impressed.

"That was a flawless perfomance Esmerelda, top marks" Miss Hardbroom replied impressed, Esmerelda smiled, until she caught sight of her classmates faces and her smile dropped, she had done it again, shown herself as a show off. Esmerelda sighed as she left the lesson, trying to avoid eye contact as she made her way to chanting.

Chanting made things for her worst, she wasn't gifted with an extraordinary voice by any means, but unlike some of the students in her class who were tone-deaf, Esmerelda could at least hold a tune, she could sense glares on her as she chanted, as if it was her fault she wasn't completely tone deaf.

Esmerelda hated that she was knowledgeable at times, but she also found herself getting angry about it, if the other girls studied more they would be up to her level but the fact was most of them couldn't be bothered and just expected to be naturally gifted in everything, Esmerelda sighed, if they knew how much she studied it would shock them to the core.

Lessons were awful for the blonde, she tried to do something wrong, and she tried to be at the same level as the other girls, but it just didn't work and she would somehow get full marks no matter how she tried.

She was therefore glad to be finished with her lessons, that was until HB walked towards her and told her the head of years had a meeting, Esmerelda sighed. She hated these long boring meetings and she didn't get the point of them, Miss Cackle didn't change anything anyway but she made her way to the office and saw the third and fifth year heads of year were already there.

"Hello Esmerelda, take a seat we were just about to start" Miss Cackle said and Esmerelda sat down, able to tell by the faces of the other pupils they didn't want to be there either.

Esmerelda did not know how long they sat there speaking about things that were wrong and needed to be fixed, but it was quite a long time once everyone had spoken, Miss Cackle nodded and Esmerelda wondered if she had already forgotten the suggestions. If she listened she didn't show it because things at Cackles never changed, even after the meetings.

"Right well we best wrap it up, don't want any of you to miss mirroring home do we?" the woman said and Esmerelda smiled properly for the first time that day, it was mirror day and she could speak to her favourite people. She rushed to the mirror room but there was already a queue and Esmerelda decided to do a bit of reading as she waited.

* * *

The line was moving slow, which was normally how things went were on a mirror day, Esmerelda didn't mind though because very soon she would be speaking to Ethel and Sybil so she couldn't be mad at people for taking their time. She put her book away when she was next in line and when the green belted girl came out she practically ran in the room.

She sat down, and held up the card with her sisters names on, waiting eagerly for them to appear, the mirror as always changed from reflective into a call but her smile dropped as she realised who she was looking at.

"Good evening Esmerelda" Mrs Hallow said as she said hello to her daughter

"Mother….." Esmerelda said with a sigh. She didn't know where Ethel and Sybil were so she decided to casually ask.

"Is everything alright mother? Where are Ethel and Sybil?" Esmerelda asked, trying to not ask to desperately.

"In their rooms I suspect" Mrs Hallow said before she narrowed her eyes confused "Esmerelda it is the third Thursday of the month" Ursulla replied as if it should be obvious why she was there and Esmerelda sighed. Her mother always mirrored her once a month to ask up on how her schooling was going so they could sort any problems that might occur. Esmerelda normally hated the calls as they were just boring with her mother rambling but today, she needed to talk to her sisters, she had had a bad day and her depressed mind needed something to cheer her up.

"Oh sorry mother I forgot that is all" Esmerelda replied, sighing in her head, knowing her mother did not like sighing.

* * *

"Yes mother, I am studying daily" Esmerelda told her mother as she asked if she was still doing her daily studies, she didn't know why she thought she wouldn't, she knows what her parents expect of her.

"Good because you are a Hallow and I expect perfection Esmerelda" her mother told her. Esmerelda looked at her, stifling a yawn. Perfection came with a price, she didn't sleep much as she studied so much.

"Of course mother, nothing less" Esmerelda told her mother, even if she wished people did not always put so much pressure on her, sometimes she felt burned out because of it and she wished she could have a day where she had fun, but being a Hallow would not allow that, she had to focus on her studies.

"And I don't want any more of this silly fighting" Ursulla went on and Esmerelda nodded, even if it had not being her fault last time.

"Of course not mother, don't worry I know what is expected of me" Esmerelda told her, feeling the pressure get to her.


	46. Chapter 46

A/N: Thank you to the stargate time traveler for helping me with this idea. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Six**

Esmerelda was stressed out. Everytime she thought she had finished her work, more was piled on her, the workload at Cackles seemed to be never ending. Not only did she have her school-work to worry about, but she also had her head of year duties to do, which included reporting on any problems she found in the school, and Esmerelda had no idea that she was going to have more pressure piled on her.

Esmerelda went to potions the next day like normal and saw Miss Cackle was there with Miss Hardbroom, that meant she had some sort of announcement to make and like the rest of her classmates the blonde was curious.

"Good morning girls, I have some exciting news" Ada said smiling at the girls who looked at her interested.

"On Wednesday our school is going to be taking part in a competition with Pentangles, a flying competition, one pupil from each school is going to compete, think of it as competition to show our school spirit" Ada said and a lot of the girls groaned, knowing life was always harder when Miss Pentangle was there to put them under strain.

"So Esmerelda Hallow, you will be representing Cackles" Ada said before clapping. The girls joined in even if they looked like they wanted nothing less than to clap, Esmerelda looked at her teacher surprised.

"Me?" Esmerelda asked, she had not even signed up for the competition so she didn't understand.

"Well yes, you are our best flier, who else would we choose?" Miss Hardbroom asked and Esmerelda opened her mouth to protest, she wasn't up for a competition right now but Miss Cackle kept speaking before she had the chance to say anything.

"Congratulations Esmerelda" the woman said and Esmerelda fell silent, she didn't know how to say she didn't want to do it, but she tried not to worry about it to much, it wouldn't affect her much right?

* * *

Wrong. After potions she had a free lesson and Miss Hardbroom said Miss Drill was expecting her outside to train for the competition, Esmie only nodded but was grateful it was Miss Drill as at least the woman would not train her to the bone, she left the classroom and made her way outside.

"Hello Esmerelda, are you looking forward to the competition?" the woman asked her. Esmie forced a smile and nodded, not wanting to seem ungrateful for not being happy about the competition.

"Well you are fantastic at flying so we don't need to train much, just a little to fix anything you are rusty at" Miss Drill told her as Esmerelda got her broomstick and started flying. Things could be worse, she told herself, Miss Hardbroom could be the one forcing her to train.

"Easy does it" Miss Drill said as Esmerelda flew, the woman gave her small corrections but was overall happy with her. After half an hour she callled her down.

"That is enough, I don't want you to overwork yourself, go have a break before your next lesson" the woman told her and Esmerelda smiled, genuinely this time, grateful the woman was letting her go. She went to the library to sit down, glad it was over with.

* * *

After lessons that day Esmerelda was just making her way to her bedroom when Miss Hardbroom appeared in front of her. The girl jumped, she wished HB would not always choose to appear out of nowhere in front of her pupils and staff.

"Where are you going?" the woman asked her pupil in her cold dreary voice, Esmerelda moved her eyes not understanding what the woman was asking, school was finished, so obviously she was going to relax.

"My bedroom Miss Hardbroom, the day is over" Esmerelda told her but the woman shook her head.

"No you have training to do for the competition" the woman replied and Esmerelda looked at her confused.

"Miss Drill said I was finished for the day" Esmerelda replied, not understanding what she meant.

"Well I say you are not, we have to win Pentangles so you have to be perfect, now get outside and practise" Miss Hardbroom told her. Esmerelda looked out the window and smiled as she had an excuse not to train when she saw the weather.

"But it is" Esmerelda started to say but she was cut off when she was transferred away and landed outside.

"Raining…." Esmerelda finished saying as she felt herself already start to get wet from the rain.

"It is only a bit of water, I will be overseeing your training from now on, now fly child!" the woman told her and Esmerelda sighed, casting a quick spell which would make most of the water dissolve of her but it would not get rid of it all. She took of flying. It was alright for HB she would be stood under the roof to prevent herself getting drenched Esmerelda thought to herself.

"Esmerelda you are crooked, straighten up" the woman shouted up to her, not as forgiving as Miss Drill. Esmerelda obeyed, wanting to get back inside as soon as possible.

The young girl did not know how long she flew for, but it felt like hours and she was getting soaked through to the skin, when it started to get dark, HB called her down finally and spoke.

"I want you here tomorrow at eight before lessons so we can train some more" the woman told her not caring if the girl was tired and not caring if she had had enough, she was going to train her whether she wanted to or not.

Esmerelda nodded and walked back into the castle, looking forward to getting out of the wet clothes she had on, with any luck she would get the flu and not be able to compete in this stupid competition, she thought to herself as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom and quickly dried off before getting into bed and falling asleep straight away, utterly exhausted.

* * *

The girl was so tired that she overslept and only woke up when HB appeared in her bedroom, looking furious.

"I said eight girl" the woman told her and Esmerelda tiredly looked at her clock seeing it was ten past.

"Miss I don't feel so good" the young girl replied, she was lying but hoped she would let her off.

"You will be fine once you are more awake, come on up, we have training to do" the woman told her before telling her she had five minutes to get dressed and go to the courtyard. Esmerelda reluctantly got up and got dressed, not wanting to anger the woman.

"Right, get flying, we only have a day until the competition" the woman told her and Esmerelda mounted her broomstick, taking off. Normally the fresh air helped her feel better and she loved flying but right now it was dragging, the woman was killing her love for flying by forcing her to do it.

"Esmerelda you are flying like a first year who has never being on a broomstick, what is wrong with you today?" Miss Hardbroom asked her. Esmerelda wished she was brave enough to give a sarcastic reply only she wasn't.

"Sorry Miss, I wasn't concentrating" Esmerelda replied and the woman glared at her but nodded, telling her to carry on. Esmerelda kept flying, wondering how long she would have to do this for.

"Just because her and Pentangle have a history and don't like each other, that is why she is doing this" Esmerelda thought to herself as she flew, knowing this was not about winning it was about getting one over and Pentangle, Esmerelda was essentially the pawn, but the problem was she didn't think she could cope with much more.


	47. Chapter 47

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Seven**

Esmerelda was dreading the day as she woke up on the day of the competition, she had a horrible headache, from stressing herself out so much over it. She knew the Pentangles group was arriving first thing so she dragged herself out of bed to get ready, not wanting to give Miss Hardbroom another reason to have a go at her.

She dressed and went downstairs where she found a large group of pupils already gathered around waiting for the school to arrive. Esmerelda did not see what the big deal was, they were acting like they did not know other schools existed so she shook her head but then she suddenly felt her ear drums hurt as she heard people clapping and cheering, she could not see over the crowd but she knew they had just arrived.

"Miss Pentangle is flawless, I wish I had being sent to her school" Esmerelda heard a girl say. Esmerelda managed to see the woman through a gap and didn't see anything to amazing, in fact the shade of pink she was wearing only hurt her eyes. Even Miss Cackle's cardigans were not so bright, and they were pretty blinding at times.

"What a joy it is to be here" Miss Pentangle said looking at all the pupils and smiling. The pupils smiled back eagerly.

"It is a...pleasure...to have you visiting again" Hecate replied, sounding like she had something stuck in her throat by the words she was saying.

"Yes well nothing like a little competition is there Hecate?" Pippa replied and the dark haired woman widened her eyes, not replying.

"So which pupil is going to be competing?" Miss Pentangle asked, looking around for the pupil in question.

"Only our best pupil, ESMERELDA GET HERE NOW!" Hecate shouted and Esmerelda pushed her way through the crowd, able to tell the woman was stressed at seeing Miss Pentangle and not wanting to anger her. Miss Hardbroom saw her and looked at Miss Pentangle with a smile.

"Esmerelda Hallow, the finest student this academy has ever had" Miss Hardbroom said, Esmerelda smiled slightly, looking at the blonde woman awkwardly.

"Ahh a Hallow, I knew your mother" Pippa said to Esmerelda. Esmerelda just nodded, not knowing if she should take that as a compliment, after all her mother wasn't the most friendly person.

"Yes and Esmerelda is following in her families footsteps, aren't you?" Miss Hardbroom said to the girl who nodded.

"Glad to hear it! Miss Pentangle said before she smiled and turned around.

"This is the student who will be competing for me Winnie Runestone" Miss Pentangle said introducing a girl who looked to be about Esmerelda's age, and the girl took her off guard. She had never seen a girl who looked so….stuck up before. Winnie had her nose in the air, as if she had already decided Esmerelda was beneath her. Her brown hair was plaited back into a tight bun, almost as tight as Miss Hardbroom's.

"Welcome to Cackles, and good luck" Esmerelda said to Winnie, trying to be the better person and be poilte to her competition.

"Luck?" Winnie said before she scoffed "I won't need luck, but good luck to you, you will need it" Winnie said and Esmerelda sighed, not because of the girl scaring her but because she had to deal with this stuck up girl all day.

"Why don't we go get some last minute practise in?" Pippa said, sensing the tension. The girl turned around and walked away with her nose in the air. Esmerelda barely had a chance to register it because Miss Hardbroom was talking to her.

"You must win Esmerelda, we can't let that girl win, you hear me, win!" the woman said to Esmie loudly. Esmerelda gulped but nodded, knowing the whole school was relying on her.

* * *

When the competition time came around Esmerelda was nervous, she wasn't feeling so great, she wasn't sure if it was nerves or she had overworked herself but she knew it was to late to pull out now. Winnie was up first, and she was not sure if she should think that is good or bad.

"Remember Esmerelda, winning is what is important here" Miss Hardbroom said to her again. Esmie said nothing, afraid if she opened her mouth she would throw up, she only turned around to watch Winnie perform.

The girl might of being cocky, but she had a right to be, she was almost flawless in her perfomance and Esmerelda did not know how she would top her, she flew straight and then took her hands of the broomstick, which got a lot of cheers as everyone was impressed that she was flying not holding on.

"She is good" Esmerelda said to herself wondering if she could actually top that, especially today when she wasn't feeling so good. She saw that Winnie scored two nines and a ten, the judges were teachers from as school called Amulets so they could remain impartial.

"Well done Winnie, that was amazing" Esmerelda heard Miss Pentangle say to her pupil as she landed. Winnie smiled, proud of herself.

Esmerelda felt even more sick as she saw that, especially as she knew she was up next. Miss Drill told her she could take off and she grabbed her broomstick, taking of slowly into the air.

She tried not to look down, not wanting to see anyone staring at her. She tried to remember what she had being practising and started to fly as straight as she could, trying to keep her back and shoulders straight.

"Very nicely performed* she heard one of the judges say, she looked away not wanting to look at him. She could feel the pain in her stomach get worse, she was therefore not sure it was nerves as it was not getting better even if she was performing, she closed her eyes, wanting to get those over with as quick as possible before she threw up.

"Is that all you have? I knew you were hopeless" Esmerelda heard Winnie say from below, thinking that was what Esmerelda was performing and she had already won. Hearing that made Esmerelda determined to win, no matter how sick she felt, because she wanted to rub it in Winnie's face.

With that she tried to decide what she could do to impress the judges more so than Winnie, she had not planned for her to do a trick, she thought it was a simple flying contest, so now she had to think on the spot.

With that she got an idea, it came to her out of nowhere but she knew it was a way that she would most definitely win, she knew what she was about to do was a bit dangerous, but she was confident she would be okay.

Before she had time to talk herself out of it, she slowly started to move herself so she could stand up on the broomstick, it was of course much harder because she had to keep the broomstick straight and balanced as she did so. She started to slowly stand up, knowing she could do it.

"Esmerelda no, you haven't practised that!" Miss Drill told her. It was not uncommon for witches to learn how to stand up on their broomsticks in their first few years, but the fact of the matter was it was not something the did regularly and Esmerelda had not practised it in months, it was also something they were supposed to do with supervision from an adult.

Esmerelda though was not listening, she slowly stood up, concentrating on keeping her balance, she could hear people cheering as she succeeded and she stood there for a few seconds before sitting back down, feeling worse than ever. She looked over and saw her score, 10, 10 and 10, she had won, now she could relax and go deal with her sickness. She landed quickly and saw Miss Drill rush to her, not looking happy.

"Esmerelda, that was extremely dangerous!" the woman said but Esmerelda didn't have time to respond because suddenly she was being presented with a trophy for the school, she smiled and smiled more as she saw Winnie look at her angrily.

She had done it, she knew she might get in trouble later but seeing Winnie annoyed made up for that, but Esmerelda felt even worse in that moment, she felt dizzy and tired, and she knew that she was in some way sick. She could hear muffled voices talking around her as her senses went and then all of a sudden she felt herself fall as her eyes closed. The last thing she remembered was a scream before everything went black.


	48. Chapter 48

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Eight**

Esmerelda felt groggy as she slowly opened her eyes, there was a bright light shining in her eyes as she did so and she wondered where she was. She fully opened her eyes and they took a few seconds to focus on her surroundings.

She sat up quickly and looked around wondering where she was, she had never being in this room before and she realised it looked like a hospital. She had a pain in her head and she thought maybe it would be wise to go back to sleep.

"Oh Esmerelda, thank goodness you are awake" a voice said that sounded very near. Esmerelda turned her head and saw a nurse stood there.

"Am I in hospital? What happened?" Esmerelda asked her entire mind a blur as to the events earlier.

"Well you are in the hospital bay at Cackles, you fainted after you performance at the broomstick display" the nurse told her, which triggered Esmerelda's memories.

Now she remembered. She was in the broomstick competition against Winnie, that horrible girl from Pentangles, and because she wanted to win she had stood up on the broomstick even though she had felt sick, and then just as she won the competition she felt dizzy and that was the last thing she remembered before she woke.

"Oh...yes I remember, I had being feeling ill and then I was so dizzy..." Esmerelda said as she looked at the nurse, whose expression changed to one of annoyance.

"You overworked yourself, your body couldn't cope with the stress anymore without a break" the woman told her, clearly annoyed the girl had being allowed to get in the state she did.

"I had to train" Esmerelda replied, knowing that was the reason she had worked so much.

"Yes but you weren't given a proper break" the nurse told her as she sighed, Esmerelda though wanted more information.

"How long have I being here?" Esmerelda asked seeing it was still bright outside so she must have being here a while.

"Since yesterday after the competition" the nurse told her patient and Esmerelda sighed herself. She knew Miss Hardbroom was not going to be happy with her.

"Oh Esmerelda!" Esmie then heard another voice and saw Miss Drill rushing into the room, looking concerned over the teenagers health.

"I am fine miss" Esmerelda told her, still feel quite groggy but much better than she did before.

"You shouldn't of being allowed to end up like this, Miss Hardbroom pushed you to hard" the woman said, her eyebrows narrowing in anger towards her colleague.

"I am sorry I did that trick Miss, I just wanted to win against that horrible girl from Pentangles" Esmerelda said, feeling guilty for the dangerous stunt she had pulled.

"What you did was very dangerous Esmerelda, you could have seriously hurt yourself if it had gone wrong" Dimity told the girl, disappointed in her reckless behaviour "but I don't blame you, Miss Hardbroom made you feel like you had no choice" Miss Drill said, still amazed her colleague has let the girl think she had to do something so deadly to win.

"I chose to do it, no-one else, I am sorry Miss" Esmerelda said again, feeling awful about the whole thing.

"It is okay, just don't ever do something like that again without my consent" Miss Drill told her and Esmerelda nodded, she wasn't planning on doing that again after what had happened.

"Did I win in the end?" Esmerelda asked, wondering if the contest had being cancelled or something. Miss Drill nodded.

"Yes, well done Esmerelda, but I think we will have a break from the competitions for now" Miss Drill told her and Esmerelda sighed relieved, she had had enough for a while.

"How are you feeling Esmerelda?" the nurse cut in, wanting to know if she could release her patient yet or not.

"I feel a bit groggy and my head hurts" Esmerelda replied honestly, not wanting to be discharged and then fainting again if she wasn't right.

"I think you should try to eat something and see how you feel, I don't want you fainting again" the woman said as she went to prepare some food for the girl. Miss Drill smiled towards the nurse before speaking.

"I have to go now Esmerelda, I have a lesson but I am glad you are okay" the woman told her before she left. Esmerelda was glad the woman had come to see her and started to eat the food she had being given.

* * *

It was always hard to force down the disgusting muck school served but when you still don't feel completely right it is even harder, so it took the girl an hour to finish the food but she would admit with a full stomach she felt much better.

"You look so much better, you have colour in your face again" the nurse said happily and Esmerelda was glad, the nurse was nice but she missed her own room and her cat and wanted to get back to normal.

"I feel better after that food, can I go now?" Esmerelda asked but the nurse shook her head, saying she wanted to keep an eye on her overnight to make sure she doesn't feel sick again, Esmerelda sighed but accepted it.

* * *

The next morning Esmerelda was released from the hospital bay first thing, she was feeling back to normal, and had not had any problems in the night so the nurse had no worries but did tell her to go back if she felt funny again. It was still very early and Esmerelda was looking forward to going to her room to cuddle her cat for a bit when Miss Hardbroom appeared in front of her.

"Oh good morning Miss Hardbroom" Esmerelda said politely to the woman. The woman looked at her wearing a look Esmerelda couldn't place.

"You will serve detention with me tomorrow night Esmerelda" the woman said and Esmerelda looked around, wondering what she had done.

"What for Miss Hardbroom?" Esmerelda asked her confused.

"For pulling such a stupid and dangerous trick during the competition, and causing yourself to faint" Miss Hardbroom told her, clearly blaming that trick on her collapsing.

"Well...the nurse said it was because I overworked myself not because of the trick" Esmerelda replied, wanting the woman to know it wasn't because of the trick she had done.

"Do not answer back!" Miss Hardbroom shouted, annoyed at the girl for her rudeness.

"I am sorry Miss but..." Esmerelda said but never got a chance to finish.

"I don't want to hear another word, come to my classroom tonight!" the woman told the blonde who sighed but nodded, knowing she couldn't get out of it.

"Yes Miss" Esmerelda said with a sigh. Miss Hardbroom was always harsh but today she seemed extra stressed and Esmerelda wondered why that was, she didn't seem happy they had won, even though she had beat her worst enemy.


	49. Chapter 49

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* * *

 **Chapter Forty-Nine**

Esmerelda went back to her bedroom and Morgana was pleased to see her mistress and ran to her for a hug as soon as she stepped through the door, Esmie smiled, at least someone was happy to see her and was not giving her a hard time.

"Hi little one, did you miss me?" Esmerelda asked as she patted her cat on the head, the cat started to purr and pushed her head into her hand.

"I missed you too, I am sorry I had to leave you, I wasn't very well" Esmie told her cat who went to cuddle her more, glad she was now okay. Esmerelda was glad that they had cats at the school, cats had a way of soothing you.

She spent the next half an hour cuddling her familiar until she moved her of her lap, needing to get ready for lessons, she didn't want to be late when Miss Hardbroom was already unhappy with her.

She made her way to the lesson, glad she had chanting first as it was more relaxing than other subjects, no-one said anything to her about the win and Esmerelda wondered if they had being told not to talk about it or if they actually just didn't care. She wasn't bothered though, she was glad she didn't have to pretend to like her classmates.

* * *

Her morning was uninteresting to say the least, it was just a typical day of lessons, that was until breaktime came along and Esmerelda found a large group of girls lingering in the corridors, watching something. Curiosity getting the better of her, she walked over to see what was going on and was not prepared at all for what she found.

She had expected to see a fight amongst some of the girls but she was wrong. There was indeed a fight going on, but not between some of the girls, but between the deputy head and Miss Drill.

"No, I am annoyed because you are not taking any responsibility for what you did!" Miss Drill said to the woman, her voice raised but not quite shouting at her.

"Because it is not my fault the girl did not use her brain and did something dangerous" Miss Hardbroom replied, she was actually shouting though.

"You told her she had to win no matter what, how do you think she is going to take that? She never would of done it if you hadn't put so much pressure on her" Miss Drill replied. Esmerelda watched the exchange shocked as she realised they were fighting about her and what had happened at the competition.

"Well someone had to tell her to win, you weren't even going to train her or prepare her for the competition" Miss Hardbroom shouted back. Neither teacher seemed to realise they had an audience watching the whole exchange.

"Because she was fine at flying before the competition, we all know you didn't want her to win for the school, this was all so that you didn't look stupid in front of Miss Pentangle and her school" Miss Drill replied, yelling this time, really angry.

"That woman has nothing to do with this, the problem with you is you don't push the kids at all and then they fail, I was just trying to help Esmerelda win because I know she could if she tried her best" Miss Hardbroom yelled back, angrier now Miss Pentangle had being brought into this.

"I push them so they can reach their potential, but not so much they end up sick from it, they have limits that their body can take" Dimity went on, angry and frustrated with the woman.

"You shouldn't of let her peform if she wasn't well, don't put this all on me!" Miss Hardbroom shouted back. Dimity shook her head, she couldn't believe this woman was trying to blame her.

"And now you gave the girl detention for fainting?" Miss Drill went on, amazed the woman had done that.

"She embarrassed the school, she fainted because of her silly childish prank, that is why I am punishing her" Miss Hardbroom went on and Miss Drill knew in that moment this was hopeless, her shouting at Miss Hardbroom was as about as useful as standing by her bed and shouting at her bed because her pillow was lopsided. The woman knew she should save her breathe and that was the moment she noticed they had a whole crowd of girls watching them.

"Yes we are having a disagreement, it is over, now leave go on" Miss Drill said wanting the crowd to leave, some of the girls sighed, they were enjoying the fight but some stayed, in case they were about to start fighting again.

"LEAVE NOW!" Miss Hardbroom shouted causing the remaining girls to run off, not wanting to get on the woman's wrong side when she was in a bad mood.

The woman stormed off, before her colleague could say another word to her and Esmerelda stayed watching, knowing now that Miss Hardbroom was angry at her for embarrassing her. The girl felt angry at her but she would do the detention, because she was not going to let the woman think she had got to her.

* * *

That night she went to the detention right on time, not wanting to be late. She had never had a detention with the woman before, but she knew from overhearing other people that she was ruthless in her detentions, often making the girls clean cauldrons by hand. Esmerelda walked in knowing she was going to have a bad few hours.

"Ahh Esmerelda" Miss Hardbroom said as she saw the blonde pupil. The teacher was sat her desk, with her hands together looking stressed.

"I am sorry about the competition Miss Hardbroom, you are right I deserve to be punished" Esmerelda replied through gritted teeth, she hoped the woman would go easier on her if she made it sound like it was her fault.

"Yes, do you know how it made the school looked you fainting at a competion like that? We are lucky we didn't have the Great Wizard on our case for it" the woman told Esmerelda and Esmerelda knew she was being dramatic but sighed.

"You are right Miss, pulling that trick was dangerous, I don't know what I was thinking" Esmerelda told her. Miss Hardbroom nodded before standing up and walking around her desk.

"Yes it was stupid, and dangerous, that is why I gave you this detention, now I want you to sort out the new supply of potion ingredients" Miss Hardbroom told the girl and Esmerelda sighed, it took ages to sort ingredients.

"Okay Miss" the girl said, not objecting, wanting to get the punishment over and done with so then she could leave.

Sorting ingredients was a disgusting job. When they had the ingredients in jars they didn't really have to look at them much, but having to look at fresh frog eyes as she put them in containers was gross, and not only that but because most of the ingredients were liquid it would often cause a little spillage. That meant she had to clean up the ingredients, and she wouldn't dare use magic so she was essentially touching it and tried not to cringe.

She could sense Miss Hardbroom watching her, ready to pounce if she sorted anything wrong. Esmerelda though concentrated on the task on hand and tried to ignore her. She sorted the ingredients, wondering why the woman always gave them a punishment by hand when she was normally one to use magic even for walking, but she shook her head, ignoring that and kept on with her task.

After what felt like hours, finally she had finished and she looked up at Miss Hardbroom to get her attention, the woman walked over and inspected the girl's work and then nodded.

"Alright I think you are done, you may go" the woman told her. Esmerelda didn't need to be told told twice and started rushing for the door.

"Esmerelda" the woman said and the girl stopped and turned around.

"You are our best pupil, don't start drifting astray, let this detention be a one off" she told the girl. Esmerelda nodded in agreement, not planning to her get another of HB. She left the room, the anger for the woman at breaking point.


	50. Chapter 50

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* * *

 **Chapter Fifty**

After the flying incident things at Cackles went more or less back to normal for most people, all expect for Esmerelda, things did go back to normal but the girl was also suffering with herself, now more than ever. The pressure that was put on her, the loneliness, it was taking over her life and making her sad and more quiet than normal, whereas her sister Ethel reacted in anger, Esmerelda reacted by becoming quiet and withdrawing herself from society.

She had heard about withdrawal before, but she never really understood why it was dangerous to be by yourself, but now she understood, you overthought everything and started to think badly of yourself, you forget about fun and start to just focus on your daily tasks, but the things people do without thinking start to become a chore, it is just an obstacle in your way and it is a never ending cycle. Esmerelda was angry at herself for allowing herself to think like this, but she wasn't stupid, she was in control of herself, she just didn't realise she wouldn't be for long.

Esmerelda had realised that she lately had being struggling to concentrate as easily on her schoolwork, there was so much going on in her head that she was finding it harder and harder to focus on the task she had at hand, that was why she was distracted in potions the next day.

The girl was meant to be making a sleeping potion, and she knew like the back of her hand how to make it, but she couldn't make it for long without daydreaming, she looked at the wall, staring into space, not staring at anything in particular, just entering a world of her own. She didn't know how long she stared for but when she came to her senses she shook her head and carried on making her potion, angry at herself for allowing herself to become some distracted.

Even though she was angry at herself, it did not mean that she did not end up doing it again, because in fact she did. Miss Hardbroom was sat at her desk marking work and the rest of the class was busy trying to remember how to make a potion so no-one noticed the girl was out of it. Esmerelda stood like that for a good few minutes, until a tingling sensation brought her back to reality.

"AHH" Esmerelda screamed as she realised she had just put her arm in the flames that were keeping her cauldron heated. Her screaming alerted Miss Hardbroom and the rest of the girls and the teacher appeared in front of her in seconds.

"What is wrong?" the woman asked, wondering what the girl was making so much noise about.

"I burned myself" Esmerelda told the woman as she showed her the burn which was starting to blister.

"How did you manage that?" Miss Hardbroom asked shaking her head

"I wasn't concentrating, I am sorry Miss" Esmerelda told her, thinking she was about to receive another detention.

"Go to the nurse and next time try not to daydream Miss Hallow!" the woman told her as Esmerelda stood up and rushed outside the room, her arm aching badly.

* * *

Esmerelda went to see the nurse and in the time it took her to walk there, her burn started to blister a lot and the pain was horrible. She saw that the nurse was the same one who had treated her after she had fallen ill at the flying competition and knew she was going to ask questions as to why she was there again.

"I...burned my arm in potions" Esmerelda told the woman, showing her her arm in question.

"How did that happen?" the woman asked knowing the flames were at the bottom of the cauldron so wondering how she managed to burn herself.

"I was daydreaming, it was all my fault" Esmerelda replied with a sigh. The nurse shook her head but told her to sit down.

"That is a nasty burn, but it is not to deep, so it should heal without much scarring" the nurse told her as she inspected her arm.

"That is a relief" Esmerelda told her, glad she was not going to end up with a scar on her arm as well as everything else she had going on.

"Next time just try be more careful" the nurse told her, not wanting the girl injured because she was not concentrating. Esmerelda nodded, knowing things could of being worse.

The nurse wrapped it in a bandage, so it had a chance to heal and was not going to be easy to get knocked, Esmie looked at her arm, this year she kept seeming to get injured.

* * *

She left the hospital bay with her arm in a bandage, it was still hurting a lot and she wondered how she could be so stupid. She had to work on concentrating more or she would end up very injured next time if she wasn't careful.

The rest of her lessons were not fun, her arm was aching and if she couldn't concentrate before she definitely couldn't now, she was therefore glad when there day was over so she walked to her bedroom, needing to have a break.

She lay on her bed, stroking Morgana who wanted attention after she had been gone at lessons all day, eventually the cat fell asleep and Esmerelda looked at her arm properly.

It already looked better, it was still red and sore but there blistering had gone down a lot. She made sure not to touch it knowing it would be extremely painful if she did that but it was itchy and she couldn't help but scratch the burn, hissing in pain as she did so. The skin where the burn was felt bumpy but it felt satisfying to touch.

Stop it. The girl told herself wondering why she had thought something like that, it was a burn, she was not suppose to be getting enjoyment out of it. She was ashamed of herself for thinking something like that and stood up, walking to her desk. Doing her schoolwork would distract her and stop her thinking about it.

But it was hard for her not to think about the burn, because it was becoming more and more itchy, she knew as the new skin healed it would be itchy but that did not mean it was any less frustrating, it hurt when she scratched it but she had no choice, it was to itchy not to do it.

"Stupid!" Esmerelda shouted as the burn irritated her again as she tried to write her essay for history of magic, she was wondering how she could ever concentrate.

Esmerelda had never had something that was so annoying like this before, she knew she was properly making it worse by scratching so much but she couldn't help it.

"Hopefully this heals quickly" Esmerelda said to herself as she didn't want to deal with this annoyance for to long. The pain was not as high as before but now the itching was more annoying and Esmie did not know which was better.

"Serves me right for daydreaming" Esmerelda said to Morgana, who opened one eye and looked at her, decided she wasn't interested, and then closed it again.

She turned back to her desk trying to clear her mind and think straight about what she had to write, if she didn't think about the itching then it wouldn't bother her, she told herself, only it didn't work she could still feel it and it was still bothering her. She scratched more, uncomfortable and when she lifted her hand she saw that her nails were red and when she looked she saw that she had scratched so much her arm was now bleeding. She stared at the blood hypnotised, once again going into a daydream. She saw the blood drip down her arm, as if it was taking away her worries with it.


	51. Chapter 51

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

* * *

 **Chapter Fifty-Two**

When Esmerelda woke up the next morning, she turned over and saw her arm with small scars on from when she had scratched so much she made it bleed, the skin had started to heal over and the itching had gone down but the scars were still visuable.

Esmie sighed. She had a flashback of what had happened the day previously and was ashamed of herself for letting the scars happen in the first place, she honestly had not meant to make her arm bleed, it had just being itchy, but she would not deny she got a satisfaction from watching her arm bleed and she felt guilty.

Luckily it was easy to hide the scars. At Cackles, they were given the choice of long or short sleeve blouses and Esmie wore long sleeved ones, she had since her first day at the school, so her suddenly turning up that day in a long sleeve blouse would not appear out of place or like she was trying to hide something, she was grateful she had always wore them as no-one would notice the scars on her arm and she got dressed trying not to think about it. She had to act normal, she didn't want to alert anyone to something being wrong.

She left her room and went downstairs fore breakfast, glad most people left her alone, because she was not good at hiding things and she was worried she would end up blurting out what she had done if Lily was still here.

The burn still hurt but she tried not to think about it as she made her way to her lessons, she was still struggling to concentrate and she was feeling low, but she knew what she had done last night could not be repeated. It was to risky and she would end up getting caught if she was not careful and she did not want it to become a problem.

The only lesson the girl really had to worry about was PE, but thankfully she remembered that at the start of second year, after much demand, Miss Cackle had brought in long sleeved jumpers as part of the PE uniform, a lot of girls had said they were always freezing with the British weather and after Miss Drill complained she was fed up of the girls complaining about it the long sleeved jumpers had come in. At least no-one would see her arm, Esmie thought, because the students might not even notice but Miss Drill would.

* * *

Today they were doing cross country and Esmerelda was glad to be able to run by herself and clear her head, right now it felt very fogged up, she knew her mental state was getting worse and she had no idea how Ethel lived like this, it was draining and horrible.

"Esmerelda concentrate you are going the wrong way" Miss Drill shouted, sending the blonde out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw she was running of course and send a smile towards the woman slightly before running in the direction she was supposed to go.

After the lesson, Esmerelda and the rest of her classmates, entered the castle panting after they had just ran the cross country, it always left everyone very tired and the blonde was just glad that it was a free lesson next so she could have a break before History Of Magic.

Still not feeling great mentally, and the fresh air having of helped her in the past, she decided she wanted to go for a short walk, strictly speaking she was not supposed to leave the presence and she was not one to sneak out, but she was driving herself crazy and just needed to clear her head, therefore she left the castle and made sure Miss Drill was not outside before she left the school through the gate.

* * *

She walked through the woods, being careful not to go to far, not wanting to get lost. It was a breezy day but it was not that cold luckily, and the fresh air seemed to be doing her good because she felt less down, she knew if anyone knew she was here they would be angry, she was not supposed to be here.

She walked up a path and stopped as she suddenly realised she was in a tiny town. She had heard of it before, some of the girls in the school would sneak out and come here to get sweets, but Esmie had never come herself. It was so small the only places they had were a sweetshop and a pub so Esmie headed into the sweetshop, but not before magicking her uniform so that it disappared to black robes, she didn't want anyone to alert the school.

Never in all her life had she seen such a collection of sweets. She was never really allowed any when she was younger and now she was in a place that had sweets in every corner, it was no wonder that the girls liked to come here it was amazing. The girl was thankful she had a bit of money on her and she tried to decide what she should buy.

She decided on some chocolate cups. She was a much bigger chocolate fan than regular sweet fan so she scooped up a handful and put them in the container provided, wondering if she should get anything else.

She couldn't resist, gummy worms was one of her favourites, one of the few sweets she liked, and they had chocolate mice and love hearts. She was in heaven and in her element. She walked to the till, unable to stop smiling and gave the lady the sweets to scan, she asked for the money and the girl left, unable to wait to get back to school and eat them.

In fact, why should she wait? She asked herself as she started to head back to school. She could eat the sweets on the way home and with that she picked out a chocolate and put it in her mouth, sighing in enjoyment as the chocolaty taste entered her mouth.

Esmerelda ate more and more as she headed back to school, enjoying every sweet she put in her mouth, she was not one who was allowed much sugar, so now she had it she didn't want to stop eating. She sneaked back into the castle and to her bedroom, seeing she still had ten minutes until her next lesson started. She sat down, finishing the last of her sweets, wishing she had some more.

"That was amazing Morgana, I can't believe how many different options they have, I will need to go back again" Esmerelda said to her cat, stroking the animal when she suddenly felt a pain in her stomach.

"Uh-oh" Esmerelda said feeling very sick in that moment, she had heard it was bad to eat to many sweets as it could make you sick, but she had never experienced it. She sat on her bed, just needing to rest for a few minutes before she went to lesson.

* * *

Esmerelda woke up, and looked at the clock. She gasped as she realised she had slept through the rest of her lessons, and she looked at her bed, seeing the wrappers from the sweets she had scoffed down earlier and suddenly felt that pain in her stomach again.

"I shouldn't of ate them sweets" Esmerelda said, understanding now why some many people limited the amount they gave their children.

Morgana looked at her, wondering what was going on and Esmerelda sat down, wondering why she had being so stupid, she couldn't go to the nurse again, and she couldn't tell anyone as she would be in so much trouble for leaving the school.

"Miss Hardbroom is going to kill me for missing her lesson" Esmerelda said, knowing the woman was already not happy with her and she was going to be horrible now she slept through her lesson.

"Oww my stomach" Esmerelda said, feeling really sick, why did she think it was a good idea to eat so many sweets? She had always told her sisters not to eat to many or they would be sick, she hadn't listened to her own advise.

Suddenly the girl felt bile rise to her throat and she ran to the bathroom and threw up aggressively. She pinched her arm hard, telling herself she deserved it for her stupidity. She walked back to her room muttering to herself.

"You stupid" Esmerelda said as she scratched at her arm, wanting it to bleed again. She scratched and scratched until she finally pierced the ski, causing injury.


	52. Chapter 52

A/N: I hope you all enjoyed this story and thank you so much for your support. I am sad it has ended but I have written everything I want to, expect a new story soon.

* * *

 **Chapter Fifty-Two**

Esmerelda's self injury on her body was becoming a problem, she was starting to do it more frequently, she didn't know and didn't want to know if Ethel had ever done what she had being doing during her depressive state, she realised now it was very easy to hide and it was therefore possible.

Esmerelda had gotten clever though, She had started to only cut herself above the elbow, because no-one would be able to see the scars then, if someone like Miss Drill was being nosy. She had hid it fine so far, the guilt was not making her act strangely anymore, she was able to suppress the truth of what she had being doing to herself.

She knew it was wrong, but it was a coping mechanism for her, everyone told her how to act, how to dress, how to behave and how to eat, this was the only thing she was truly in control of, something no-one could tell her how to do, it made her feel relief, she didn't feel like she was carrying a burden around anymore because she was in change of her life, and it was not being dictated.

"Meow" Morgana said angrily as she saw what Esmerelda was doing, the familiar was clever and knew that what she was doing was not something she should be doing because she would end up injured.

"Quiet Morgana" Esmerelda told her cat just as she used some scissors to break her skin, she hissed out, the pain was always bad when she did it, but the relief afterwards was addicting, she had never felt it before. She grabbed some toilet paper, dabbing it onto her arm to stop the bleeding.

"It is okay Morgana, don't worry" Esmerelda told her cat. She was trying to convince herself, more than her fmailar it was okay, she knew it was bad, but it was a guilty pleasure. The thing was she didn't know how to stop and she was not sure she wanted to.

* * *

"Not long now until you come home" Sybil said happily, clapping her hands excited as her sisters and her spoke through mirror call that evening, it would soon be the summer holidays and her sister would be at home.

"Two weeks, fourteen days, three hundred and thirty six hours, 1,209,600 seconds" Esmerelda said, having made a countdown of exactly when she would be going home. She knew it was weird but she had wanted to know exactly how long she had left.

"I hope it goes fast" Ethel said and Esmerelda shook her head.

"It never does when you are at school" Esmerelda explained to her sisters. Ethel nodded in agreement.

"Time drags when you are away, it is funny how that works" Ethel told Esmerelda and she knew her sister was right. There was always twenty four hours a day, but sometimes it felt like sixty two and sometimes like four.

"I miss you too a lot, soon we will be together again" Esmerelda told them, unable to wait to get home and squeeze them.

"Can we go to the museum that has just opened?" Sybil asked. A new witching history museam had just opened and Esmerelda nodded.

"Even if we have to pay, I will find the money and take you I promise" Esmerelda told them, not caring if she had to pay, she barely got to see them and if they wanted to go, they would be going.

"And can you help me study for my entrance exam?" Ethel asked, knowing it was taking place at the beginning of summer

"You will be fine Ethie, you have brilliant knowledge on potions and witching history, you both do" Esmerelda replied, knowing Ethel didn't need to study anymore.

"Yes but I want help on my flying, I still can't get the landing quite right" Ethel went on, knowing that was the thing she was still doing wrong.

"Ahh yes, it is because you never time it properly and you land to fast, don't worry, I will take you flying, by the time the entrance exam comes around you will be perfect" Esmerelda told her, knowing it meant a lot to Ethel to make a good impression.

"It is not fair" Sybil said with a sigh "Now Ethel is going of to school and I am going to be by myself for a whole year" Sybil said with a sigh, not looking forward to Ethel leaving too and her being by herself.

"I know Sybs, it sucks, but just try and remember, just one year, and then you will be at school with us too" Esmerelda told her but Sybil went on.

"Maybe I can pretend to be Ethel's twin and then I could come a year earlier" Sybil said, smiling as the idea came into her head.

"Somehow I don't think we can run that past mum and dad" Esmerelda told her sister and the girl sighed. She knew she was right.

"I just wish there was a way" Sybil said. Esmerelda looked at her sister, wishing she could have her with them next year, she hated the thought of Sybil being alone, she got scared and upset and now she would not even have Ethel to go to.

"Don't worry Sybie, we will be mirroring you so much, you will not feel like we left" Ethel told her sister with a smile. Esmie smiled, happy Ethel was being nice to Sybil.

"What Ethie said, don't you worry Sybil, we are still there always" Esmerelda told her sister, beaming at the youngest.

The two weeks, as Esmerelda said they would, went by very slowly, Esmerelda was expecting something major to happen, because she never could go for to long without something occurring in her life, but right now it seemed to be normal, and she was going to enjoy it whilst it lasted.

Esmerelda was glad though, she would soon be away from her isolation and she hoped with Ethel at the school, that feeling will go, she knew Ethel would not be with her all the time, but having her there when she needed someone to talk to was going to help her so much.

* * *

In potions class the next day, Miss Cackle arrived because she had to talk to the year group. She asked if anyone would be willing to volunteer to help during selection day. Esmerelda heard scoffs at that question and some girls whispered things such as 'is she crazy? It is our summer, why would we want to spend it here? Or 'No thanks, I have enough of this place as it is". Esmerelda agreed with them, why would anyone want to spend summer at school, but then she remembered Ethel was going to be there and she could give her moral support if she helped out and spending the day with Ethel would be brilliant, it would be great for Sybil too, sooner than she realised she would be alone, having a taster day of what that would be like, would help her overcome the shock when it finally came. Esmerelda looked around the room as she thought this, seeing no-one volunteering. She put her hand up, making her mind up in that moment.

"Oh thank you Esmerelda, come and see me before you leave and I will give you the details" she told the girl and Esmie smiled, she could sense some students staring at her but she did not care, in that moment she was happy.

The rest of the time dragged by, but it was getting closer, Esmerelda thought something was sure to happen before she got a chance to go home but the last day came and she was still in one piece, she hoped next year would be a quiet one, she didn't want another hectic year.

"Morgana" Esmerelda laughed as she finished packing, the cat was inside her case and she couldn't help but laugh.

"You can come home too yes but not in there" Esmerelda told her cat. She finished packing, looking around her room. She was not sure how to feel, but right now she felt relieved because she had got through her second year.

* * *

She left early the next morning, wanting to get home as soon as possible, she could not believe she would be with Ethel and Sybil for six weeks, for once she felt happy and excited about the future and was giddy with joy as she landed outside her house.

"ESMIE" The girl heard as her sisters appeared and hugged her tightly. Esmerelda smiled but looked at them and smiled sadly, they had grown, both of them were taller and she was sad she had missed it, but she was just glad they were okay.

Esmerelda was glad that her second year was over, she knew though that things were not going to be easy, she was still self-harming and keeping that secret, her depression was affecting her and she had a feeling her third year would be eventful, but for the next few weeks she could forget her worries because she had her sisters with her. She was home.


End file.
